Monday 4 November 2013

Empty Chairs - GTMO

Single review by kev@thesoundofconfusion.co.uk


If you think of the kind of psych-pop that Grandaddy made, or that Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev were making at the end of the 1990s, or more recently bands like MGMT, then you'll have an approximation of the style of Empty Chairs. Pete Spear began making music as a solo artist under this name, but after recruiting two new members the Brooklyn-based trio release their debut album 'Caveat Emptor' this week. Moving from Colorado to the NYC area to pursue a career in music has its plus points, the city is thriving and is always the focus of much attention, but on the downside, you're trying to keep your head above water amongst a sea of other acts hoping for the same gig slots, press articles and record contracts. In short, the only way to succeed is by being very good.

Following single 'Akira', Empty Chairs have put forward this backwards video to current single 'GTMO', and an interesting video won't do their cause any harm. Ultimately it's the music that the band will be judged on, and they've got that pretty much perfected too. Using the touchstones we've mentioned, this song takes dreamy psych-pop and freshens it up. So while those bands may have influenced Empty Chairs and may share some of the same DNA, 'GTMO' is totally current. The production ensures that. The contrast between the sharp electronic beats and the constant hazy hum of the song works splendidly to enhance the melodies and the vocals that would probably still sound perfectly pleasant on their own. There does seem to be enough about Empty Chairs to keep their heads well above the waterline of the flooded Brooklyn music community, so hopefully this won't be the last we hear from this band.



Empty Chairs' website





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