New Band To Check Out-Empire State Troopers

I received an e-mail from this guy Jeff Fox the other day with the subject "new stoner band", Jeff is the bassist for upstate New York band Empire State Troopers. As I listened to the CD I was pleasantly surprised by the raw nature of the music. EST's seventies rock influences are evident in such tracks as "Water Street Down" and "Phantom Limb" which provide some very tasty groovable riffs. A few of the other tracks on the album remind me of Queens Of The Stone Age or maybe even in a not-so-stoner-rock fashion the Jesus Lizard because of their quirky nature.

I was also impressed with the production quality of the CD. The band is very tight and each instrument is featured clearly throughout the album with special care being taken not to drown out the other instruments.

Now , I have to be honest, I am not a fan of female vocalists. I am not really sure why, granted Ann Wilson from Heart has some mean chops as well as Pat Benatar, but generally I am just not a fan. Well folks, we have another one here with Kelly Murphy. This lady spills her emotion and passion into each song and delivers each song with all of her heart and soul.

With so much upside this band has going for them, especially with the reputation they have with their live performances, it is amazing they are relatively underground. So if you are looking for something fresh and unique, do yourself a favor and check out some of the links that I have provided below and if you like the band please support them by buying their CD and/or merchandise.

Track Listing:

1. Dogs Of Odessa (Mp3)
2. Upstate Again
3. 15 Years
4. Water Street Down
5. Ode To Stengel
6. Phantom Limb

MySpace
Official Website
Cover Story Metroland Magazine
Review UnlikelyStories.org