FELIX RIEBL – INTO THE RAIN

Cat Empire co-founder and frontman Felix Riebl takes time out from the jazz-ska collective to release his first solo trip Into The Rain. Beginning with the folk-country number Wide Open Rivers, Riebl takes us into relationship territory as he sings about the hurt of being left behind. With it’s slide guitar, soft organ, and dusty drums it’s an immediate departure from the ska-pop which characterises The Cat Empire. The beautifully written Worries I’ve Had pulls at the heart strings as it slowly burns as does the stunning track Helen– inspired by Springsteen’s I’m On Fire– which simmers, builds and seems to end even before you realise what your ears have just heard. Riebl isn’t the greatest singer with a huge vocal range however he makes up for this with pure honesty in his delivery. You can almost hear the heartbreak in his voice, particularly on the stripped They Don’t Know You. The album is melancholy in mood and there’s a dark side to the subject matter as it rarely ventures into ‘happy’ territory. It seems that Riebl’s solo album is a way of expressing the themes he leaves at the door when working with the Cat Empire. From start to finish Into The Rain is a fulfilling listen and while it’s not a masterpiece the foundations for more impressive output has been laid.

*** 1/2