Americana infused rock band Louis Emory & The Reckless Few are back with their follow up E.P. The Siege. They’re here to tell stories of emotional truths with driving melodies. With classic rock influences led by a modern voice, they have gained recognition in their home city New York by the likes of The New York Times and long-time music journalist Ben Fong-Torres. Released 4 years after their first E.P., The Siege is the most ambitious step the band have taken to make it their statement piece.
Opening and title track ‘The Siege’ introduces the E.P. with a bluesy rock rhythm intertwined with electric piano riffs. The lyric “it’s not in the stars but in our hearts” perfectly captures the essence of the E.P. about resilience, identity and love & loss. This track encapsulates the band’s spirit and whilst lyrically clever, more varied tempos between the choruses and verses could be utilised to make for a super gripping opener.
‘Do What I Want To’ offers a complete change in pace with more distorted guitars and bouncing rhythm lines. The gritty vocals in the verses offer a diversity to the sound whilst the chorus vocals blend with the backing vocals to create a hopeful gospel atmosphere.
With their previous E.P being titled Love Italy it was only right for the band to give another nod to Italy with their next track ‘Cortona.’ This is a visualisation of the bridging between the E.P.s as Emory sings of a couple living out their lifestyle in a beautiful Italian landscape. The track shows another blend of layers of vocals set against bouncing melodies. The outro offers a more intense feel with dominating guitar chords that fits in well with the rest of the track despite having such a change against the overall theme of the song.
‘Prophets Said’ has the most attention-grabbing intro with flowing guitars before a fluctuating number of layers of instruments under the vocals. The groovy choruses were short but sweet with funky basslines that commanded the bridge. With relatable lyrics, this was the standout track on the E.P.
The last two tracks are the most emotionally moving with a more relaxed but sombre feel as the lyrics reflect on Emory’s previous hardships. ‘Time Keeps Passing By’ is an inspiring track despite the title, with lyrics reflecting on the difficulties of Emory pursuing his creative journey but showing resilience and purpose. The piano serves as a magical backdrop to carry the guitar melodies.
‘Once Again’ is the closing track and shows Emory at his most vulnerable. The guitars are so soft and dreamy as Emory sings about grief and loss but with a comforting tone to bring a positivity to his story.
The Siege is an open honest conversation follow up to mirror a journey of progression and self-reflection about life’s challenges and confronting pressures.
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