Remember MTV Spring Break? Empty Bottles' New Single Does
Just in time for spring break, West Chester-based alt rock group Empty Bottles has dropped their first single of the year, and if you grew up on 2000s pop rock bands, this track is going to jump to the top of your playlists. “Stuck in the Middle” is reminiscent of the best of bands like Sugar Ray and Third Eye Blind, and fits this very specific niche of nostalgia while still remaining current through various sonic technicalities.
Produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered all by Tyler Ripley at Maryanne Studios and released under Free Dive Records, this single is the product of a year-long partnership between Ripley and the band. After gaining momentum among high school and college crowds, Empty Bottles sold out their debut gig and subsequently released their premiere LP, Free Floatin’ with Free Dive Records in 2019.
“Stuck in the Middle” holds the same carefree, endless summer, “is this Sublime?” kind of vibe, with intertwining half-spoken vocals, echoing acoustic guitars, and purposefully placed electronic moments. This song feel straight out of a 2000’s California teen beach movie, but with an underlying sense of maturity. The instrumentation is precise, and coming from Aidan Fox and Ricky Schwartz, two Berklee College of Music guitarists, you’d expect nothing less than something that sounds this tight.
As with many tracks off Free Floatin’, “Stuck in the Middle” has these moments of suspension where the lyrics cut out and there’s an overarching transition between acts. This song clearly comes from a place of angst with lyrics like, “so why you got me stuck up in the middle, I’ve been thinking about you,” and the emphatic punching up and pulling back of the soundscape emphasizes how it feels to hang in a balance of not knowing where you stand with someone. The blunt lyrics paired with a swirling acoustic-electric space further solidify this niche of Empty Bottles’ sound, something that not many current bands are willing to undertake. The step back in time while still experimenting with modern methods of writing and recording truly sets apart this young band from other surfy alt-rock bands in the scene. Their take is bold and, so far, it’s working.
You can stream “Stuck in the Middle” below the cut.