- PREMIERE: Eloah Jones – “Under the Bridge” - November 18, 2021
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- Tali Azerad Shines on New Album - November 5, 2021
Chicago’s Empires will release their new EP How Good Does It Feel next week on Chop-Shop/Island Records. While just a brief 4-song glimpse into what the band has to offer, the EP serves to put the music world on notice of some of the best songs released so far this year. The band channels musical elements from the 80’s and blends them into their fresh, distinct indie-rock sound.
How Good Does It Feel is fun to listen to, yet serious and substantive. If you are new to Empires, “Hostage” is a great introduction. Unique and brooding, the track is at once fresh and nostalgic—harkening back to a vivid memory or a snapshot in time. “Nostalgia” is a loosely defined and subjective quality in music, and even I’m not exactly sure what it entails; but when “Hostage” comes on, the song immediately has an ability to transport the listener to a different place. With it’s gritty vibe and soaring peaks, this song feels like it should be in a montage in a John Hughes movie, playing at some poignant moment in the film.
The title track has one of the most memorable hooks I’ve heard all year and begs for repeat listens. Perfect for a road trip or a contemplative night drive, something about this song makes it feel right at home in a car stereo. “Please Don’t Tell My Lover” provides a bouncy reminder that Empires know how to craft a song with substance that will still get your head nodding. “Lifers” puts a cap on the EP with a smooth, slower tempo and a spacey vibe. It’s an extremely well-done track that’s about as far as possible away musically from “Please Don’t Tell My Lover.”
Empires’ new EP is, in a word: excellent. Its brevity only serves to excite the listener with thoughts of what’s coming next from the band. How Good Does It Feel comes highly recommended for fans of nearly anything on the alt/indie/rock spectrum. The band is on tour all Summer long, check them out live when they tour near you!
Empires – “How Good Does It Feel”
