Everyone involved in the creation and composition of music dreams of creating an anthem, a song fraught with power and potency, that enthralls the masses and flings them into ecstatic and inescapable bouts of fist pumping and shouting along with the chorus. Such songs literally hit all the right notes, and exert a magical force over listeners, turning them into lifelong devotees of your music.
Up The Empire, the band of Brooklynites formerly known as The Kilowatthours, seem damn well determined to make at least one of the songs on Light Rides the Super Major an anthem. Unfortunately, they can’t settle on which one it should be, and as such, every song becomes a similarly structured, blazing swing for the fences that never produces more than an outfield fly ball.
“Volcano” is an aptly titled opener and its eruptions of synthesizer and guitars hold much promise; the group is able to keep up the energy for at least four tracks. Approaching the middle of the album, however, it becomes much more apparent how these seemingly anarchic songs are reliant on a defined structure. Tracks six and seven are titled “Not Working” and “Keep Wasting Your Time,” respectively, which makes you wonder if Up The Empire knew they were in over their heads.
The voice of singer Chris Renn is interesting on its own, but seems so detached from the din beneath it that one might think he wasn’t paying attention to his own band. Light Rides the Super Major gives all it can, but forgets what really makes anthems work: they’re not supposed to sound like every other song on the record.
– Michael Patrick Brady
Up The Empire (The Cougar Label)