Album:
Elf Power � The Winter is Coming
Band: Elf Power
Album: The
Winter is Coming
Label: Shifty
Disco
Catalogue No.:SHIFTY0105
A folky five-piece
strumming out an eclectic potion of fantasy inspired psychedelic pop hardly
spells a recipe for success in the current musical climate. And yet Elf
Power have enjoyed a steady ascent since their modest two-piece inception
back in 1994. Previous albums have had the privilege of production duties from
Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips, and mastering duties for
The Winter is Coming), they have the enviable position of recording in
Athens, and they are members of the �Elephant 6� collective, a loose collection
of like-minded bands as name-checked by Michael Stipe, professing the scene to
be what�s hot in contemporary music.
As Elf Power�s
second album on Shifty Disco (they have had other albums released through other
labels, plus a self-released debut, Vainly Clutching at Phantom Limbs,
for which they could only afford to press 55 copies!), The Winter is Coming
sees a brave departure from the poppy but enjoyable A Dream in Sound
(DISCO.0102). Where A Dream in Sound was consistent and even, but with
few surprises, The Winter is Coming is eclectic and varied, with some
unexpected treats. The album was recorded over a longer studio stint, and it
appears that imagination was in plentiful supply. So will this approach mean
�Power to the Elf People�, or will it disappoint their carefully built fan base?
The festivities open with
Embrace the Crimson Tide, a majestic fanfare march, a welcoming ceremony
for the uninitiated ears. Resplendent with jangling acoustic guitars, it is a
good indicator of the spirit of things to come.
Skeleton
reassures any listeners bemused by the folkiness of the opener, kicking up the
pace a couple of notches, replacing sparkling melody with crunchy guitars and a
satisfyingly fat, dirty bass line. As a second track, it fulfils a similar role
to Primal Scream�s �Accelerator�, getting the adrenalin pumping after a
more restrained opener. With dual guitar solos laid over the riffs, it has a
very impressive impact.
Track 3, The Great
Society returns to the overtly folk sound and fantasy imagery promised by
the opener, a theme which is continued throughout the album to varying degrees
of success.
It is the experimental
parts of the album that are both its strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes it
works well. Wings of Light adopts a distinctive Eastern flavour,
reminiscent of George Harrison�s influences on Beatles tracks, proving to be
atmospheric and haunting. The Sun is Forever, one of the strongest
tunes, is dreamy and melancholy with a 60�s organ sound. They overlay the
melody with a Hawaiian style slide guitar, and as misguided as this sounds, the
result is little short of beautiful. People Underneath throws some
seriously heavy guitars over the acoustic arrangement and is impressive for it.
Other tracks don�t benefit
from Elf Power�s unusual concoctions though. 100,000 Telescopes
should be interesting with backwards guitar effects, but evolves into something
of a depressing dirge. The Naughty Villain is pleasant enough but the
chirpy guitar harmonies are guaranteed to grate after a while. And the title
track, which starts off flowing and natural, takes an experimental turn for the
worst midway through with a Rossi/Parfitt style break.
But when the journey draws
to a close with The Albatross, you could forgive Elf Power any of
their failed experiments. If the rest of the album is generally an upbeat and
positive affair, The Albatross is a monumentally bleak slab of doom. In
contrast to the previous expeditions, it hits you over the head like a Giant�s
sledgehammer. The dual guitars cut out a cruel, gargantuan riff that would
terrify Tony Lommi, raging over the stomping drumbeat. The effect is of being
engulfed by the rich, dirty chaos, a very pleasing effect indeed. Perhaps the
only sound I have heard similar to this is Cathedral�s excellent
Forest of Equilibrium (Earache Records). The lyrics work
particularly well in this context, painting the portrait of the albatross slowly
and inevitably homing in on its� prey, circling incessantly until the narrator
makes the stark realisation that it is destined for him. The unfolding
storyline conspires with the wind effects to create a chilling finale. The
guitars fade out indulgently over the closing minutes as you hear the
instruments put down, whilst some truly disturbing horror sounds sweep through
the murky gloom. The result is undeniably remarkable.
All in all it�s a fantastic
close to a generally good album. Elf Power are to be commended for
pushing the envelope out for this release, but I fear the inconsistencies of
style and pace may alienate a lot of the listeners gained by the breezy but more
accessible A Dream in Sound. I wonder if the album can find its way to
an open-minded enough audience out there, especially with such minor appeal
lyrics and imagery. The Winter is Coming is a competent enough
achievement with solid songs, and will reward any listener prepared to give it
time to work its magic. I�m just not sure how many elfin ears are out there in
the wilderness to prick up and listen.
7/10 Mark Lee
Elf
Power are:
Laura Carter, Adrian Finch;
Bryan Poole, Andrew Rieger and Aaron Wegelin
Links:
www.shiftydisco.co.uk/elfpower
www.elfpower.com
www.elephant6.com/bands/elfpower.html
www.elephant6.com
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