Artist Empress Hotel

Taking as much inspiration from lost relics of FM Gold as legendary pop scientists like Prince and Sparks, the multi-culti, coed New Orleans ensemble Empress Hotel crafts hook-heavy gems that sound like they’ve existed forever. They’ve had a lengthy gestation, at least—the songs on the band’s forthcoming, self-titled EP for Park The Van kicked around The Big Easy for a while before frontman Micah McKee and guitarist Ryan Rogers decided to build a band around them. The result is an expansive, sun-dappled musical vision, leaning on world music traditions and rose-colored 7-inch recollections, the good vibes tempered with the occasionally wry lyrical observation.

Updated 01/27/2011