Video Premiere: Promised Land Sound, “Empty Vase”

promised land sound
When the members of Promised Land Sound first announced the formation of their new Nashville-based garage-rock band in the fall of 2012, it seemed like yet another move by Music City to find a way to mash up its major export —- country music — with a teenage punk rock ethos.

 But there was something different about this scraggly quartet, which self-released its debut EP, Stoned Eagle, in November of that year, and whose members had previously played in the bands of Pujol and Nikki Lane. With their catchy guitar riffs, bracing 4/4 beats and ragged-but-right harmonies, they were like a Flying Burrito Brothers meets The Stooges.

Videos by American Songwriter

The band soon signed with the North Carolina-based label Paradise of Bachelors and its self-titled debut album arrived last September, co-produced by The Ettes’ Jem Cohen, guitarist-songwriter William Tyler and studio whiz Andrija Tokic. The album cover depicted a map of Nashville. The band effectively wore its Music City heart on its sleeve.

On the jangly but poignant lead single, “Fadin’ Fast,” Promised Land Sound set a mood of discontent for the changing seasons: “Leaves on the ground/ There’s no warmth to be found,” sang Joey Scala. “It’s fading, it’s fading fast/ And I’m waiting to see how long your winter lasts.”

Now the band has released a video for its second single, “Empty Vase,” which has more of the early ’60s garage-R&B swagger of The Rolling Stones. Promised Land Sound will hit the road this spring with the talented indie-folk singer-songwriter Angel Olsen, who released her second album, Burn Your Fire For No Witness (Jagjaguwar), in February. The tour will make stops in Chicago (Olsen’s home town), Montreal and Brooklyn, N.Y., among other cities. Check out the video and dates below.

4/24: The Earl – Atlanta, GA #
4/25: The Bottletree – Birmingham, AL #
4/26: Zanzabar – Louisville, KY #
4/27: Off Broadway – St. Louis, MO #
4/28: Riot Room – Kansas City, KS #
4/29: Waiting Room – Omaha, NE #
5/01: Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN #
5/03: Revelry Music Fest – Madison, WI #
5/04: Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL #
5/05: The Bishop – Bloomington, IN #
5/07: The Garrison – Toronto, ON #
5/08: Il Motore – Montreal, QB #
5/09: Sinclair – Boston, MA #
5/10: Café Nine – New Haven, CT #
5/11: Fete Lounge – Providence, RI #
5/13: Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY #
5/14: Johnny Brendas – Philadelphia, PA #
5/15: R&R Hotel – Washington D.C #
5/16: Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC #
5/17: Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC #

# w/ Angel Olsen

Leave a Reply

Deadline Approaching for May/June Lyric Contest