Album: Ice on the Dune
Year: 2013
My first thought when listening to this band for the first time was - this belongs in a Nintendo game, circa 1986. It brought me immediately back to the days of Mario, Contra, and Castlevania. I could envision being in the caves of Hyrule while my hands floated effortless over the controller's refreshingly easy two button combo...eventually the controller almost seemed to take over itself while I aimed Link's silver arrows at the floating spider creature's eye that opened once every two or three seconds...and then being plunged into an uncontrollable fury when I missed and Link started spinning while the last heart evaporated...the entire macabre scene ending in an airborne controller launched toward the TV set. Alas, perhaps that's why I immediately took a liking to this album, so maybe this entire review is completely biased in the lens of an avid Nintendo player - at any rate, Empire of the Sun owes a big thank you to the Yamauchi family (RIP Hiroshi, you are forever a pioneer), maybe their next album will be dedicated to this amazing device.
Let me be clear, I normally can't stand this type of music - it is a mix of electronica, dance, and I guess what you'd call modern 'alternative' (hey music industry folks - how about we come up with another term for what was originally intended to be an actual alternative to what was the mainstream pop/rock/R&B vibe of the early 90s - let's not slap it on every new band that uses a keyboard and hasn't made it to the mainstream pop category that they are all so desperately trying to achieve). In fact, this type of music generally repulses me when I walk into the Gap or J Crew (to uh, shop for my wife) and it's blaring at alarmingly distracting level, all the while pretending I could fit into that "large" v-neck made for a man the size of Keith Richards corpse frame. So what makes me come back over and over to this album?
I guess it's quite simple: it's really good. I would venture to guess most of those Gap-approved songs are on the one-hit album vine, but I can't listen to EotS album without being impressed by basically every song. Some are more standout (DNA, Alive, Awakening) than others, but this is one of those refreshingly delectable albums that you can pop on at work, in the car, or even a party and leave it running. Anytime you mix an automated percussion rhythm track with pounding bass beat overlays and a lead singer who floats from sounding like Jor-El in the fortress of solitude to Adam Levine's uncomfortable soprano shrieks...well you've got a winning combination in this reviewer's eyes (ears).
Maybe someday EotS will be IN the Nintendo game, instead of making the soundtrack.
Empire hails from a country devastated by World War 2, a history of stark colonialism and an uncanny will to survive...yes, you got it, I'm talking about Australia. It's pair of musicians, one former alt-rock, the other electronica, and both a healthy respect for Tecmo sports games and Mike Tyson's beady little blinking eyes (#*@! those eyes and the pain they've caused me). Ice on the Dune is their second album, and of course, doing my due diligence I listened to their first album from 2008 and it is an excellent debut album as well. Not quite as good as Ice, which is probably a good sign the band is evolving as opposed to a Candlebox non-stop spiral of devolution after the self-titled. I think this band has some staying power, assuming they stay together, and I think they are catching on to the American music scene quickly - I think they would fall into that same genre as Foster the People, the Naked and Famous, Friendly Fires, etc. except for the fact that they are about twice as talented as those other 'alternative bands'.
One of my favorite Onion articles in the past couple years is a guy who survived a mall mass shooting, but who happened to be in a Yankee Candle when he was shot, and then proceeded to drag himself out of the store to another part of the mall to die (the accompanying photo of a blood-streak trail out of the YC surrounded by bodies was hilarious). He told the reporter that he could never live with the idea that his friends and family would know he actually went into a Yankee Candle, and even worse, would die in one. I kind of feel this way when I listen to Empire's record - maybe this isn't a great sales pitch - because I'm sure there will be the inevitable car full of high school jocks that pulls up next to my Honda Accord while I am visibly rocking out to this band as the song (and I) hit the crescendo of high-pitched shriek convulsions. But in the end, I'm going to look straight into the face of that 17 year old little prick...and probably turn the music down and pray for a green light...but after that rip right back into this collection of Bowser-inspired delicacies.
This is the fifth god-d@!ned time that floating spider got away, how many healing potions does this little midget need for f---s sake?
I suspect this will be an album that you will immediately find appealing and probably insert it into the normal rotation, or will think I've lost my entire musical compass and should stick to not-blogging. However, coming from a guy who grew up on 311, Oasis, and Toad the Wet Sprocket - I can fully endorse this album simply because I gave it a shot. I will still continue to grit my teeth while shopping for 30% off Gap jeans, and whole-heartedly poke fun at people who would actually consider buying those horrible "we will put together an album of cool songs that the Gap deems hip", but Empire has managed to be intriguing enough (just look at these guys wardrobe alone) and talented enough to make it onto the Music Blog - and congrats on being the first album reviewed.
Final Grade: A-
Recommendation: One of 2013's best, put it on your Spotify, Google Play, or Itunes list as a keeper.
Tour: No US tour scheduled as of yet.
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