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Apr 22, 2020 Empty Country By Paul Bullock

Former Cymbals Eat Guitars frontman Joseph D’Agostino’s solo debut as Empty Country has had a circuitous route to release. He had planned to unveil these songs while supporting Purple Mountains last fall. Then friend and mentor David Berman tragically took his own life. The album was originally slated for the troubled Tiny Engines label; moved to Get Better Records (run by members of Control Top, The HIRS Collective, and Potty Mouth); but got a surprise online drop a full month early when Bandcamp waived their standard revenue share to help artists in the wake of COVID-19.

It’s a shame that Empty County took such a weird and winding journey into the world because it’s a glorious album and everyone should be talking about it right now. It fully delivers on the promise of last year’s outstanding lead single, “Ultrasound,” and features a ton of stylistic twists and turns. It feels like something completely different from D’Agostino’s last band but is almost guaranteed to please its fans. It includes contributions from Charles Bissell of The Wrens and Rachel Browne of Field Mouse (also D’Agostino’s wife). It was smartly engineered by Kyle Gilbride of Swearin’, who has worked with Waxahatchee, Girlpool, and All Dogs. And it’s absolutely packed with great songs.

The six-plus-minute opener “Marian” is a total stunner. “Untitled” slyly leans on Elliott Smith and shimmers in the soft light of psychedelia. The swooning closer, “Swim,” manages to make very menacing imagery feel universally nostalgic and recalls some of the best of Okkervil River’s Will Sheff. Pick a track; you’ll find something to like. (www.emptycountry.bandcamp.com)

Author rating: 8.5/10