Empires’ Orphan Arrive September 23rd

EMPIRES TO RELEASE MAJOR LABEL DEBUT ORPHAN
NEXT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23rd

BILLBOARD MAGAZINE NOW STREAMING ORPHAN

BAND CURRENTLY ON NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Empires are thrilled to release their major label debut Orphan next Tuesday September 23 on Chop Shop / Island Records. Billboard Magazine is now streaming the anticipated new record from the Chicago, IL band here: http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6251511/empires-exclusive-premiere-new-album-orphan-sean-van-vleet-interview

Over the last few months, Empires have been catching the attention of critics such as NPR, GQ, Interview Magazine and Stereogum for their new collection of songs immersed in the classic post punk and indie rock ‘n’ roll circa 1989-1991.

Rolling Stone raves “Sharp, creative and bringing a commendable freshness to the sometimes drearily derivative world of contemporary rock … the band’s music is strikingly compact, precise and non-excessive … Empires are a young, powerful band who leave a distinctly positive impression wherever they play. Their music is some of this year’s very best.”

Billboard goes on to say “with bandleader Sean Van Vleet’s excursions to some of indie rock’s most inspiring touchstones, Empires truly shine on Orphan … Looking to the 80s college rock glory days, Van Vleet found inspiration in the likes of My Bloody Valentine, Wire and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds when writing Orphan. He took the pop elements of those artists and used them as a template for Empires’ pounding, panoramic choruses, which bring to mind newer rockers like the War on Drugs and Future Islands.”

Empires recently made their late night television on the Late Show with David Letterman. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7789U7roU0

The quartet have been touring non-stop for the last two years winning over a wide range of concertgoers with a stimulating live show The Riverfront Times calls “tailor-made for the festival/stadium atmosphere … [their] meticulously crafted songs gave a strong impression of familiarity, melding the sonic muscle of ’90s alt-rock with the heartbreaking sentimentality of ’80s new wave.”

Following a recent tour with The Chain Gang of 1974 and stellar performances at Bonnaroo and Hangout, Empires are looking forward to playing dates with Augustines, performing at this year’s Austin City Limits and spending the rest of the 2014 on the road.

Empires are the first new act signed under the recent partnership between Alex Patsavas’ Chop Shop and Universal’s East Coast Label Group.

Tour Dates:

9/17 – Los Angeles, CA at the Troubadour #
9/18 – San Francisco, CA at the Independent #
9/20 – Bend, OR at Old St. Francis School #
9/21 – Seattle, WA at the Showbox #
9/22 – Portland, OR at the Wonder Ballroom #
9/26 – Chicago, IL at the W Hotel
9/27 – Cincinnati, OH at Midpoint Music Festival $
9/28 – Springfield, IL at Radon Lounge
10/1 – Columbia, MO at Mojo’s
10/2 – Kansas City, MO at the Record Bar
10/4 – Austin, TX at Austin City Limits
10/10 – Austin, TX at Stubbs Jr. %
10/11 – Austin, TX at Austin City Limits
10/17 – Akron, OH at Musica
10/18 – Columbus, OH at the Rumba Cafe
10/19 – Grand Rapids, MI at Founders Brewing Company
10/21 – Minneapolis, MN at 7th St. Entry
10/23 – DeKalb, IL at the House Cafe
10/24 – Champaign, IL at Error Records
11/7 – Pontiac, MI at the Pike Room
11/8 – Pittsburgh, PA at the Smiling Moose
11/9 – Philadelphia, PA at the Barbary
11/11 – Boston, MA at Church of Boston
11/13 – Hoboken, NJ at the W Hotel
11/14 – Brooklyn, NY at Baby’s All Right
11/15 – Washington, DC at DC9
11/16 – Carrboro, NC at Cat’s Cradle Back Room

# w/ Augustines
$ w/ OK Go
% w/ the Chain Gang of 1974