Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire
Angels & Airwaves
I-Empire
It was easy to get caught up in the web of hype Tom DeLonge spun for Angels & Airwaves’ 2006 debut We Don’t Need To Whisper. But after the dust settled, we were left with a solid melodic-rock album that withstood most of the backlash from DeLonge’s hyperbole. (Although 18 months later, we still have no clue what a “liar’s hole” is or how you dig yourself one.) So if your U2-aping arena-emo formula ain’t broke, then why fix it? That’s the attitude the band-DeLonge, guitarist Dave Kennedy, drummer Atom Willard and new bassist Matt Wachter (ex-30 Seconds To Mars)-have taken on their sophomore effort, I-Empire. The hype train has been slowed, letting the songs stand for themselves; the Cure-influenced lead single “Everything’s Magic” is the most uptempo (and shortest) song the band have penned, and DeLonge’s staccato-punched vocals are perfectly executed. Unfortunately, the remainder of the album (nine more full songs and two meandering “preludes”) is heavy on reverb-guitar and call-and-response “oh-oh”’s, but light on new ideas. “Rite Of Spring” and “Breathe” (the latter of which weirdly sounds like Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets Of Philadelphia”) are highlights, and the album as a whole is a pleasant enough listen, but between the bloated song lengths and repetitive arrangements, what Angels & Airwaves really need for LP3 is an editor.
ROCKS LIKE:
Angels & Airwaves’ We Don’t Need To Whisper
U2’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind
Box Car Racer’s Box Car Racer
