Introducing: The Empties

Just today I received a very pleasant surprise in the mail - the new self-titled album from Atlanta’s The Empties (showing up just when I thought all the “simple but still cool” band names were gone). Unlike most of the unsolicited promo CDs I get, I didn’t find myself rolling down the window to toss it out halfway through the first song. Quite the contrary - I was immediately caught up in the angular guitar rock, distorted vocals, and chugging rhythm of “Oh My God”. The rest of the album lived up to the promise of that opening cut - “Thanks Alot”, “Acoustic Melody Maker”, and “Something’s Wrong” in particular add a stronger sense of pop song craft to “Oh My God”’s edge. And then there’s “Flood Rises”, a short and sweet little acoustic shuffle that proves the band can do quiet just as well as loud. Overall, The Empties are a promising young band that remind me of Spoon circa Telephono/A Series Of Sneaks, albums that were very good/great in their own right but acted as a launching point for much bigger and better things to come. The Empties debut is available on Slush Fund Records. The band is playing Pianos in NYC this week - April 16 to be exact. Check out the show if you get the chance…

MP3 :: Oh My God
MP3 :: Thanks Alot
MP3 :: Flood Rises
(from The Empties. Buy here)
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