The last time I was writing about Rocky Votolato I was really depressed and so was the album (and drink) of choice, Makers. These days I’m slightly less depressed, and, great news, so was his last album. Released in 2012, Television of Saints isn’t quite upbeat but is noticeably more optimistic. On “Ghost Writer” he…
It’s been eight years since we heard from Damien Rice. Who does he think he is? Desmond David Hume? Back in 2002 Rice released O which found its way into hearts and bedrooms worldwide. It was the kind of folky pop that had young adults looking gleamingly into each others eyes as Rice crooned in the background. Fueled by…
The first time I saw Kevin Devine I was not impressed. He was without a backing band and he was wailing away over acoustic songs that nobody knew. It was over a decade ago so it was easy to dismiss him as a product of the time; capitalizing on a recent trend of sappy ex…
Why play in Harvard Square once when you can play it 3 times?! I haven’t seen a show at The Sinclair since it opened a couple years back, but it’s a pretty nice, intimate venue. It was a good setting for the tour opener, who was of course, Lucero! The By the Seat of Our…
Fig. 1 Aside from being what I wish I had majored in at college ‘Snake Oil Superscience‘ is an awesome album. It’s heavy, spooky, fuzzed out and it makes me feel like I’m surfing with the devil (see fig. 1). The Mad Doctors are from Brooklyn and they sound kind of like I imagine Sabbath…
Did you know the Counting Crows are still making music? Probably not, right? Don’t you lie to me. After bursting on the scene in 1993 with August and Everything After, their popularity has gradually decreased, not surprising since their first album, fueled by “Mr. Jones” (yeah that song is over 20 years old now) sold…
Ryan Adams is back with his 14th solo album, this time a self -titled job, named after himself for no particular reason other than his inability to come up with anything better. His first solo album, Heartbreaker (named after a Mariah Carey poster), was released all the way back in 2000. Since then he’s averaged…
I was going to keep writing about new albums, in this case Conor Oberst’s Upside Down Mountain, but part of the mission statement of Empty Bottle Evenings is bringing to our (imaginary) reader’s attention bands and albums that are underrated, overlooked, or just bitchin’ tunes. Don’t worry, I’m even more uncomfortable using that last phrase…
People come to Empty Bottle Evenings to find out about music they haven’t listened to before, and LET ME TELL YOU about this band. It’s like nothing you’ve ever heard. They’ve been around for a little while but…okay everyone knows the goddamn Black Keys. When you’ve reached the point in your career where your songs…
Before Ryan Adams was living happily ever after with Mandy Moore (yes this is true and more than a little strange) he was creating mostly depressing, sometimes beautiful, pop and alt-country (there is is again!) albums. In the early 2000s, Adams was particularly inspired, creating his best work while under the influence of alcohol and…
