Instant Empire, Ready To Bring The House Down

Jenn Cohen | May 1, 2012 | 0 Comments

by Charlie Sullivan

Indie rockers, Instant Empire, are quickly becoming a local favorite. Delivering the goods on stage, this act knows how to bring it with finely crafted music, their animated presence, and clean, but heavy, sound.

In mid-2010, Scotty Saunders (vocals), posted an ad on Craigslist hoping to find another songwriter, and, as luck would have it, Sean Connaughty (guitar), happened upon the listing. Soon after, the two were crafting songs and laying the groundwork for what would become Instant Empire. Matt Grizzell (drummer from Alan Alda) jumped on board, and was soon followed by Aaron Stone (bass, vocals) spawning an incredible rhythm section.

With the addition of Grizzell and Stone, Saunders and Connaughty’s music started evolving, taking on a shape even they hadn’t anticipated; a heavy pop sound with melodic vocal harmonization driven by their lyrics. More recently, the addition of Doug Chase (keyboards, multi-instrumentalist) and Lou Kucera (guitar, vocals) have taken the band’s music to another level. Connaughty and Kucera work well together, laying down some fine textural guitar work, creating a nice flow to the music.

Their self-titled debut, in 2010, showcased an up-and-coming band with some great ideas. If you can still find a copy, check out Marco Polo and The Light And The Shadow— indie pop at its best. Saturday, May 12, will find the band at the Walnut Room (they go on at 11:00 PM) for the release of their second EP titled Heavy Hollow. I gave it spin, and will tell you, it’s an extremely well rounded sophomore effort that will knock you on your ass. These lads are crafting some fine music. The crew will pull you under right away with the first cut, “Counting Backwards,” and won’t let you up for air until the disc is over.

The lads aren’t content with a piece until all parties are happy. “We know, as a group, when it’s time to throw down the cards and go with the sound,” says Saunders, whose unique vocal quality fits the outfit’s music perfectly, carrying the emotional weight of the pieces.

“We’re pleased with the new project,” says Connaughty. “The songs are real, about real people, with real problems. We’re trying to connect to people with music,” he continues, “like the music we grew up listening too.”

“It’s the perfect mix of words and music,” adds Stone. “Tangible stories that connect at different levels.”

I could write so much more about the band, but I’m out of space. You’ll have to pick up on this crew and decide for yourself. Check ‘em out at http://instantempireband.com/ and find some show dates. Then shoot me an e-mail and let me know what you think.

It’s one of those days again, when music is your only friend. – Unknown