Waning Days
AM Syndicate
Empire
(Sick Room)
Austin band, featuring Trail Of Dead bassist Danny Wood, makes its Chicago label debut.
As the anticipation builds for Sick Room to release the long-awaited post punk popper from Chicago’s Just A Fire, they have another inferno to contain with Empire. If you think Animal Collective for the emotionally disadvantaged, you’re part way there. Fooling with elements as disparate as Gypsy folk, Roky Erickson psyche-casualties, and the crippled stomp of Joan Of Arc (particularly “Hear! Hear!”). The politickin’ triumverate of “Ode To The Office Goat,” “Those Who Wave Flags,” and “Democracy For The World” invades Arcade Fire turf before slamming the door and rustling away under the leaves. It’s never too late to leave AYWKUBTOD.
— Steve Forstneger
