Everyone has heard of John, Paul, George and Ringo, but how many have heard of George Martin? Sometimes called the “Fifth Beatle” by insiders, Martin’s contributions to the Beatles’ recording process deserves major credit for the band’s success, yet he remains relatively unknown. The same can be said for producers today. What would Nirvana’s “In Utero” sound like without Steve Albini? And check out the list of hit albums produced by Rick Rubin.
It’s not that producers create hit records from scratch. What they do is provide is the ear of an outsider. Bands write the songs and become way too immersed. It takes the trained ear of a producer to provide engineering, arranging, and other insights to help fully bloom the band’s vision, while adding a touch of their own flare to the tracks. This seems to be the case with Denver’s Instant Empire’s first LP, “Lamplight Lost,” released last week.
have released three EPs over the last four years, each showcasing the band’s driving indie rock and stellar songwriting. But on “Lamplight Lost,” it feels like Instant Empire have fully developed. Singer Scotty Saunders says that for this release they wanted to work with producers that “would push us in the studio. So, they enlisted , who has worked with Spoon, Death Cab for Cutie and The Mountain Goats, as well as , who’s produced The National, War on Drugs and Kurt Vile. Not only do these producers have an impressive resume, but their particular styles lend well to Instant Empire’s music. Their unique ears are well-suited for developing the Instant Empire sound, and the album is super impressive as a result.
“Lamplight Lost” is available for streaming and purchase on the band’s . Why not play a quick game of “Who Produced What?” Then, download “Neighbor Girl,” only available in Steal This Track. The band will host a release show at Marquis Theater on July 2.
