Empty City Squares - The Disappearing Architect

 

Empty City Squares last album, 337, was Pop Rock gold. It justifiably was in the Top 20 of I Don't Hear A Single's Best Of Year and you can read the IDHAS Review here. Whereas that album was recorded over a 7 year period, this follow up was recorded in a much shorter time frame.

So could New York's John Fotiadis keep up that quality? The answer is definitely yes, although the territory is slightly different to 337. Whereas that album was centrally Brit Pop, The Disappearing Architect feels and sounds far more 70s Pop Rock.

This is all fine and dandy. Done well, this genre can provide great melodic pop, although the territory is getting more and more crowded lately. It is also interesting that one of the best songs here is the only one that you could really label Brit Pop.

History Rhymes is four minutes of top notch 90s Guitar Pop, an absolute joy, but that isn't to downgrade the other 13 songs that surround it. There are some really interesting departures. For instance, Miss Ambition is great 90s Power Pop.

Letter To A Friend is an interesting almost Indian tableau and Sacrificial Lambs is in Alan Parsons Project territory and even a little Psych Pop at times. The title track is very very Andrew Gold and I'm reminded of Gold a lot across the album, ditto 10CC.

I Go Inside is a splendid meandering closer, beautifully arranged. Hail To The Cheato, the lead single still sounds as great as ever. The album is wonderfully melodic,  a seemingly gentler affair than 337, but this works beautifully allowing a laidback joy to the whole album.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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