B-Side Guys

Relationship dissolution rarely occurs cleanly. Instead, it unravels through messy negotiations where discarded bottles become archaeological evidence of attempts to numb the aftermath. On “empty bottles,” Al Boltz’s project xogoodbye. examines this wreckage with unflinching clarity, creating an anthem for those trapped in cycles of emotional exploitation.

The track opens with perhaps the bleakest party planning scenario imaginable: “Planning the party/For my funeral and it’s looking bleak.” This macabre image establishes the song’s central tension—a protagonist simultaneously declaring emotional death while desperately clinging to connection: “I would sell my soul for/Another evening of you and me.” This contradiction drives the narrative forward, revealing a relationship dynamic where emotional manipulation replaces genuine connection.

Boltz’s background bridges cultural divides, having been born in America before residing in Runcorn, England during his formative years. This transatlantic upbringing perhaps explains the track’s ability to blend distinctly American emo sensibilities (reminiscent of early Dashboard Confessional) with British post-punk’s biting directness. When he demands “Don’t you place the blame/Like I’m the smoke above your flames,” the accusation cuts with particular precision.

What distinguishes “empty bottles” from similar relationship post-mortems is its refusal to romanticize destructive patterns. While many emo tracks celebrate the beautiful tragedy of toxic connections, xogoodbye. dismisses this notion entirely. The imagery of “staring at these empty bottles/While I sit here night and day” transforms traditional symbols of escapism into evidence of stagnation. Even more telling is the metaphor of “making stained glass” versus merely painting canvas—contrasting transformative creation against surface-level expression.

The song’s production reinforces this thematic complexity, balancing aggressive alt-rock instrumentation against more vulnerable vocal delivery. This sonic contradiction mirrors the lyrical push-pull between dependency (“I don’t wanna be/The only crutch that satisfies your urgency”) and the desire for complete separation (“Call off the search party/Please stay the hell away from me”).

As xogoodbye.’s statement suggests, the track functions as an ouroboros—a snake eating its own tail—representing self-destructive cycles that consume without completion. The final demand to “tear out my insides” reads less as romantic hyperbole and more as recognition that sometimes extraction is the only path to healing. By rejecting both sentimentality and simple vilification, “empty bottles” offers a nuanced examination of relationships where people become convenient vessels for each other’s unresolved traumas rather than partners in genuine connection.