By John Sturm
I’m going to give you all a new system for classifying music that will make things a little bit easier. Ready?
Does it rock?
In the case of Empty Lungs the answer is yes. Yes it ruddy well does. Merging the agit-angst of The Almighty circa ‘Crank’ era, the punk shapings of Rocket From The Crypt and the melody (vocally and instrumentally) of Honeycrack and early Wildhearts, Empty Lungs serve up a stunning 6 tracks feast that makes you want to alternately punch the air, punch authority and punch a hole into a keg of good strong booze.
Opener ‘Running In Circles’ cues up the EP wonderfully, displaying it’s melodic and anthemic credentials for all to see. Rattling along with more hooks than a butcher’s fridge and never outstaying its welcome (at just 1:42 it would be hard pushed to). As a side 1, track 1 (as us old folk like to say) it’s hard to beat; deftly and succinctly telling YOU the listener that this is how it’s going to be for the next 20 minutes.
‘Until The Day We Die’ features some fantastic guitar playing from the jagged chords of the intro to the twinkly notes of the verses, it’s a melodic tour de force. But don’t let the upbeat musical nature lull you into thinking that everything is easygoing. Lyrically, (and throughout this whole EP), Empty Lungs rail against losing hope, about fighting the apathy of resistance and a call to arms for the disaffected.
The standout track on this EP as far as I am concerned arrives in the form of ‘Nothing Left to Lose’. Exhorting the listener to “cut loose” and “speak your mind” and laced with “WOAH-UH-OH”s throughout the verses this is a song that just calling out for crowd participation at gigs. A song that you play before you make a stand: politically, emotionally or physically. See the official video here:
Following this was always going to be tricky and ‘Long Road Home’ ably tries but ultimately suffers because of track placement and some hit and miss singing in the verses. That’s not to say this is not a good song, but it’s more restrained playing and structure would have been better suited earlier in the running order.
‘Release The Lifeboats’ is a great mid-paced number that features some wonderfully dual lyrics depending on listener interpretation. They are either an ode to the power of uniting for a cause, of struggling upstream towards an outcome or they concern the struggles of relationships. Either way there is something for everyone to hang their hat on emotionally.
Finally we end with ‘Stand Up’, an ode to the current political and financial climate and the frustrations that seem to be all too prevalent these days - “Stand up, If your pissed off and broke and you feel like you’re just about ready to explode “.
Do yourselves a favour, get this EP. But more importantly play it LOUD. And with a smile of your face of course……
