Your Labor Day Jams Better Include Empty Bottles: "Free Floatin'"
For fans of Dirty Heads and Long Miles, allow me to introduce your new favorite warm weather band: Empty Bottles. Based in West Chester, PA, this fresh-out-of-high school group is here to remind you that summer never dies.
Consisting of guitarist Aidan Fox, singer Parker Lauritzen, bassist Garrett Thomas, and drummer Brandon McDonald, these guys are just starting out their college careers or are on their way towards making that next step. They’re the epitome of a fresh up-and-coming band with an intense amount of potential and nothing but time to solidify their sound.
Though they’re self-described as an alternative rock band, I got an instant beach vibe from their sound. Free Floatin’ pulls influences from hip hop, blues, and pop rock, while managing to sound totally carefree and effortless. Produced by Tyler Ripley of Free Dive Records in Philadelphia, these young up-and-comers have a lot of potential jam packed into a 10-track LP.
Right from the jump, the opening track “Back In” is so reminiscent of hot June afternoons. This set the tone for me and I’m definitive in my opinion that this a summertime album. It’s got an easy melody filled with strummed acoustic guitars, an effortless bass line, and unfiltered, chilled-out vocals. They even throw in a horn section, which adds a level of maturity to the surfy sound. I’m telling you, these guys have to tour with Jersey rockers Long Miles, because they’re on the same wavelength.
The following track, “Levitate,” as well as “Sunrise,” keep up the half-sung, half-spoken lyrics, the summery guitar, the horn section, and the overall relaxed vibe. The instruments are incredibly tight and the lyrics are fun and this feels like such a unifying track that you’d throw on during a windows-down car ride.
Things start to shift gears with tracks like “Crawlin’ Back” and “Spend the Night,” emphasizing that they’re still an alt rock band and not just a band for one season. They’re heavy when they want to be and breezy when they don’t, and a multi-faceted LP from such a new band is highly important if they want to stay relevant in the Philly and surrounding area scene.
The album closes with “Too Long,” a bluesy, guitar-heavy track with crooning vocals and a minor-key feel. It’s a great way to both tie the album together as well as probe the listener into wanting much, much more.
It’s difficult to pin Empty Bottles into one genre, and while I’m tempted to classify them as a beach rock band, they’re mature enough to cross categories and pull influences from several sources. Free Floatin’ has something for everyone, in my opinion, and the fact that they’re so young makes me hopeful that we’ll see some heavier releases in the future. But for now, enjoy these tunes on your Labor Day beach adventures, because that’s what this LP is made for.