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Empire-Builder
live reviews
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Underpop
March 2000 (Andrew Friendly)
El Hombre Trajeado/ Empire Builder, 13th Note Cafe, Glasgow
"Perhaps this is a lesson learnt about gig protocol.
If you give away liberal shots of tequila at the door you'll
end up with a few 'technical' problems. There are a few problems
with Empire Builder's sound that prove to be an unwanted distraction,
especially when the band themselves are playing more than
adequately. Their newer material is continuing their abstract
take on melody, making the songs from their 'Waters Of The
Orient' 7" sound less out of place than they did in the
early days when the songs were more basic. Two or three of
the newer tracks (I don't know titles though) are fearsomely
complex but still manage to retain a delicacy, a subtle handling
that means nothing gets overbearingly loud and impenetrable,
in theory at least. The mix is so bad tonight that whenever
Steven sings (which isn't often) it's far too loud, and for
some reason all the amps are mic'ed, why? In a place this
size you could easily hear the amps from the back of the room.
It was unnecessary and took the edge off Empire Builder's
competent set."
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Glasgow
University Guardian, 20th January 1999 (Craig Hargrave)
16 Band Night featuring Multiplex Cinema / Macrocosmica / the
Yummy Fur / Ganger / EB @ Nice 'n' Sleazy, Glasgow
"empire-builder are becoming somewhat ubiquitous. They
aim to bring math-rock to the masses and with their brand of
angular yet (for their genre) tuneful material, who knows, these
crazy kids may just do it. They kick off the whole shebang with
a set that bodes well for their debut single to be unleashed
soon." |
Glasgow
University Guardian, 9th December 1998 (Jan Zeschky)
Spray Dog / Peeps Into Fairyland / EB / Magnetic North Pole
@ Nice 'n' Sleazy, Glasgow
"empire-builder, featuring Eska's Colin Tierney (sic) on
drums are an impressively tight three piece - an attribute needed
for their interesting and involving tempo changes and keen melodies.
Dare I mention that band beginning with an 'S' and ending in
'lint'? Comparisons aside, empire-builder are one to watch for
their on-stage banter alone: Sepultura, The Bangles and the
state of frontman Steven Ward's pants are mentioned during this
memorable half hour set." |
NME
13th June 1998 (Johnny Cigarettes)
"...so we will go anywhere Mogwai take us. Which happens
to be downstairs at the 13th Note, where American Hardcore flavour
of the hour Unwound are playing. As support, we witness two
local bands. For what is rumoured to be their third gig, empire-builder
have a classy sounding Fugazi-walking-along-the-cracks-in-pavement
style, while hernandez have a nice line in shouting, if nothing
else. These are inevitably the foot soldiers of the new indie
uprising, but they may save us yet." |
(The
Old) 13th Note web site - reviews, June 1998 (Martin Bate)
Unwound / Hernandez / EB @ 13th Note Cafe, Glasgow
"But first empire-builder, or 'Colin from Eska's other
band' as it's repeatedly referred to around town. And indeed
it's the Eska frontman's drumming which drives the band, songs
twisting and starting, with sympathetic beats playing around
the impassioned guitars and vocals. OK, the performance of their
off-kilter loud/quiet songs is still a little rough round the
edges, but there's plenty here to suggest that people may be
referring to them by their proper name." |
Kerrang!
March 7th 1998 (Eddie Thomas)
US Maple / EB @ 13th Note Cafe, Glasgow
"A small crowd greets local lads empire-builder. Part Jawbox,
part Jesus Lizard, they employ a bewildering but coherent array
of time changes, yet still infuse them with healthy doses of
melody. Their stage-craft might need time and touring to develop
further, but their songwriting is already well past the embryonic
stage." |
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