Empire Of The Sun - "Two Vines"

Empire of The Sun over the last few years have gotten pretty darn big in the world of Indie Pop, Electro Pop, whatever you wan't to call it.  To be honest though, I've seriously been on the fence with these guys.  Their first two albums absolutely had catchy tunes and big singles, but not really that much else at all.  The songwriting was weak and the performances while catchy were super gimmicky.  My main issue though is with Empire Of The Sun, is that I don't think their sound is translated well on a studio release.  The groups live shows are RIDICULOUS, and even if you're not a fan of their music seeing them live is a blast (There's on stage futuristic sword battles, light shows, and a whole lot of other stuff that actually adds to the feel of their music).  All of that creativity that the band puts into their live shows really just doesn't add up to me sitting and listening to them casually, but I'm always interested in what they're going to do next.  So let's talk about their new album, "Two Vines".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPKAwJKGSDc
(Just in case your not familiar with Empire Of The Sun's sound)

The album starts off with “Before”, which is filled with light, quirky keyboards.  I would almost say it sounds sort of in the ballpark of what Neon Indian was doing on their last album (Except you know, that album was actually entertaining!  HIYOOOO!).  But all jokes aside it definitely does have some of the same sound, at the very least in those synths.  As far as vocals go, this is easily one of the most boring performances I’ve heard from Empire Of The Sun ever.  This is supposed to be their attempt at a more subdued performance, but it ends up almost putting me to sleep.  It’s a shame too, because instrumentally they nail what they’re going for.  The first two Empire Of The Sun albums had these very icy, snowy covers, and the songs on those albums reflected that.  For the most part, this has more of a slight tropical feel to it like this album’s cover suggests.  As far as the instrumentals and the atmosphere goes, all of this works to Empire Of The Sun’s advantage, but those vocals bring everything so far down.  It picks up a little bit for the chorus, but even that is just OK.  But I have the same problem with “Before” as I do so many other Empire Of The Sun tracks, there is and always has been little to no soul in their music.  All of these tracks have a solid beat, and sound great if your the casual listener, but if you do a little digging around in their songs you’re going to find a whole lot of absolutely nothing.  Not to mention, on this track here, when they go for some of the more over the top vocals towards the end are just a cheap attention to come off as artsy and elaborate.  Up next is “High and Low”, which at the very least shows Empire Of The Sun picking up their sound a little bit.  Not just instrumentally, vocally too, while I’m still not 100% in love with these at the very least these vocals are up-lifting.  The vocals, while they provide a little pick me up, remind me of just how much I find them to be obnoxious most of the time.  “High And Low” is passable if you’re looking for a catchy indie-pop song and nothing else.  It’s got everything you would expect from an Empire Of The Sun track, between a strong driving beat and some oddball lyrics trying to be something they’re not.  But even their lyrics aren’t completely invested in “High And Low”.  Here, as in the past, Empire Of The Sun go for this harsh contrast of their usual Sci Fi oriented lyrics to a much more meaningful jam.  Not so shockingly, this contrast more times than not comes off as a car crash.  “High And Low” is certainly catchy, but I need something to really sink my teeth into, and this certainly isn't it.  I honestly still feel like their live performances are the place to hear all of these songs, their stage show just helps this sound that much.  Up next, we have the title track, “Two Vines”.  Right off the bat, we hear Empire Of The Sun trying to branch out into different instrumentals.  Honestly, it’s probably what they need to do at this point, cause these guys seriously need a rebranding.  When everything picks up though, it quickly becomes laughably bad.  The vocals here are so flat and uninteresting that I seriously don’t remember a single thing about them.  Then we have the instrumental, which is basically one big slap in the face.  Empire Of The Sun usher in all of these new instruments, just to toss them aside and casually return to their original sound.  Then we have the production, oh boy.  This is easily the most pristine sounding electro-pop song I’ve heard recently, and I mean that in the worst way.  There is absolutely no edge to this whatsoever, no excitement at all.  Now that I have that big blast of negativity out of my system, while overall this album is a mess, it also contains some of Empire Of The Sun’s best written tracks ever.  For example, “Friends” starts off with a seriously cool heavy synth line.  This intro is so interesting that I’d even go as far as to say it sounds sort of out of the book of Washed Out.  As far as the vocals go, I can actually dig this a whole lot more, the vocals don’t come off nearly as obnoxious as other tracks here.  While this is still super cleanly produced, overall “Friends” is just so much more likable.  The chorus here is unbelievably solid and legitimately catchy.  Overall, “Friends” just comes off so much more structured than other tracks from Empire Of The Sun.  There are still some cheesy moments here and there, and it’s still gimmicky with a huge banging beat, I really enjoy this track, probably a little too much.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoPfrXfk6bk

While I’m on the topic of solid tunes here, there are a few others we should talk about.  For one, “There’s No Need” once again has a really freakin’ cool intro.  This one almost has an 80’s slow jam feel to it, and bizarrely enough Empire Of The Sun nail that sound completely.  Those twinkling synths that pop in occasionally do wonders for “There’s No Need”.   Now, the vocals here are a little more on the obnoxious side, and there are going to be plenty of people still hating on these.  Personally though I don’t mind these nearly as much, mostly because they’re a little less gimmicky.  Some of these better tracks here I can actually see myself returning too outside of a live setting with these guys, which is something I didn’t think I would be saying any time soon.  They’ve gone for more down to earth performances before, but “There’s No Need” is the closest they’ve come to nailing that, honestly this is the sound they should be going for.  “Way To Go” is up next, and we’re right back to a more standard sound from Empire Of The Sun.  Classic fans will cling to this track immediately, as we’re back to a very clean electro-pop sound.  While these aren’t my favorite vocals here, the backing harmonies make this track much more listenable.  Plus, the vocals aren’t as nasally and obnoxious as they usually are, they’re still sounding less gimmicky and more stripped down.  “Way To Go” isn’t perfect, but it’s a solid pop tune and I enjoy listening to it plenty.  A few tracks later on “Digital Life”, I’m instantly a little confused at their attempt at a more minimalistic intro.  I have to give it to them though, it sounds legitimately cold and interesting, but when those synths come in they’re so warm and wonderful.  “Digital Life” is much more on the atmospheric side, which is something I can absolutely appreciate.  While it’s still a little too produced for my liking it’s super chilled out, and still shows plenty of potential for them.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eehJ9k5aKpI

And now that all of those compliments out of the way, “It is now time for the airing of the grievances, I GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH YOU PEOPLE” (how did you like my Frank Costanza impression, I’m working on it).  Seriously though, there’s just so much about this album that’s messy to really enjoy.  Right from the opening vocals of “Ride” I can tell I’m in for an overblown cheery experience, something I’m really not in the mood for.  While I usually don”t mind peppy vocals in this style of music, these come off as way too poppy.  And the instrumentals that follow soon after is everything that I didn’t want to hear Empire Of The Sun bring to the table.  The beat is ok and all, and certainly makes you move.  But the vocals here are beyond flat, and lifeless.  Empire Of The Sun here try to get all moody on these verses, but it comes off so weak that it’s pathetic.  Hell this doesn’t even fit the tone of the album.  At the very least the crappier tracks towards the beginning of the album at least sounded like the atmosphere was on point, “Ride” just sounds out of place.  Not to mention, this track is easily the most annoying and repetitive I’ve heard so far, it’s almost giving me a headache, I’m gonna move on.  Then we have “First Crush”, which as soon as I hear that intro I seriously want to run the hell away from this album as fast as I can.  Not to mention, with a title like “First Crush” coming from a Sci-Fi themed electro-pop band, I have zero hope.  The instrumental not so shockingly becomes of the blandest on the entire album, and the vocals may be at their cheesiest (which is seriously saying something).  When you build up your band and gain a reputation as this epic Sci-Fi pop act, than proceed to give me a love song so convoluted that I can’t even follow the lyrics, it’s simply agitating.  Than we have the backing vocals, which on other tracks have really helped everything.  On “First Crush” though they make everything even more goofy and make it even harder to take seriously.  And as it goes on, everything just keeps getting worse with all of these cringeworthy whispers and countless cliches.  Avoid this track like the plague.  “ZZZ” really isn’t that much better at all, as Empire Of The Sun instantly try to be all steamy and sexy sounding, and it does not work in the slightest.  They keep trying to be so ambitious and put so much into this album but it’s all failing miserably.  The vocals certainly aren’t terrible, but everything else here bringing it down.  Hell, I can’t even begin to imagine how this track even made the cut.  Not to mention, some of the vocal effects in the last minute are absolutely dreadful.  Thankfully, we’ve reached the final track, “To Her Door”.  It does have a pleasant, warm intro (see, I give credit where it’s due).  And while the vocals and instrumentals are definitely not terrible, it’s still super cheesy, almost suffocatingly so.  Overall, this album is such a mess it’s not even funny.  We had these two styles of sounds from Empire Of The Sun duking it out, a more glitzy classic sound battling against a more stripped down sound.  They need to make up their freakin mind, it’s not like they can’t write a good song.  

Rating: 5.9/10

Give A Listen To: "Friends", "There's No Need", "Way To Go", "Digital Life"

Overall Thoughts:  Empire Of The Sun, man I really don't know what they're going for.  While I didn't enjoy every moment of their first two albums, they at least stuck with a sound.  Here, Empire of The Sun for a few songs here and there take away all the gimmicks and make some of their most enjoyable songs to date, songs that I actually look forward to listening too again.  But then there are so many other songs on here that throw that all away, and see the duo loading back up on every cliche and over-produced sound they've ever indulged in.  They can right an OK song if they really go for it, they just need to really make up their mind on stylistically which way they want to go in.