Empires
How Good Does It Feel
Reviewed by: Ari Roth
Empires, a Chicago four piece, return here with a concise EP that lays out a new development for the band, and songs that are increasingly widescreen and inventive. Their sound at times recalls early 2000s indie rock bands like Interpol, but this EP makes a good case for the band’s individuality.
How Good Does It Feel opens with “Hostage,” which lays out the essential components of the band’s sound: pounding drums, a distorted guitar hook, and a stunning vocal melody. The title track is the centerpiece of the record. It’s a taut, emotional rush of a song, with soaring choruses and falsetto backing vocals underpinned by tight rhythm section work. “Please Don’t Tell My Lover” trades the guitar washes of the previous track for raw guitar twang and a post-punk disco stomp. The EP’s closer, “Lifers”, however, may be the most compelling of the bunch, as it finds Empires stepping outside of their comfort zone and experimenting with their sound. “Lifers” builds as an atmospheric, spacious ballad, with an eerie, shiver-inducing Leslie effect on the vocals, delivering the EP’s strongest melody while surrounded by gentle pools of liquid acoustic guitar and piano.
How Good Does It Feel is very short, clocking in at under 14 minutes, and does feel slightly insubstantial as a result. In some ways, however, the length works to the band’s advantage, allowing them to make a compact, effective statement without becoming drawn out or tedious. It will be interesting to see how the promise of this EP translates to their next full album, but based on the evidence here, it will likely be excellent.
Rating: 
