Spend any time in any local music scene, and there will be those acts that you want to get big. Spend enough time in the same local music scene, and there will be those acts that you wish had gotten big, that you hope don’t break up as the demands of the real world, jobs, kids, etc., take their toll. QRO is very happy to report that Brooklyn favorite Ravens & Chimes are back with the great indie power-pop of The Empty House.
While the term “power-pop” often brings to mind the overly sunny music of the sixties and seventies, that’s only because the best of the form, i.e. Big Star, never made it as big as they should have. The uplift of Empty opener “Irreplaceable Artifacts”, bold “Milo”, and bright “Big Ups” give the record an emotional power that feels good, without being ‘feel good.’ Meanwhile, there are also quieter, more intimate pieces, such as “Gemini Tonight” and “Ned’s Way”, while closer “Orphans” goes from a soft goodbye to a big goodbye.
Okay, maybe it’s too late for Ravens & Chimes to ever headline Madison Square Garden or Coachella, but just enjoy their big Empty House.
