Elf Power
Finally away from the coast, now we are up in the mountains at San Jose del Pacifico. It´s about 30 degrees colder and a lot less humid. Also, the World Cup begins today, which is pretty exciting. I´m cheering for the US, the Czech Republic, and Mexico. Once I get back to the States, I may write some more about it. For now…
Talk about big shoes to fill. As the new kid on the block at Elephant 6 in the mid-90s, Elf Power started out in the shadows of giants. Moreover, for a lo-fi jangle-pop band out of Athens, the overwhelming presence of R.E.M. surely cannot be ignored. And then, as if all that wasn’t enough, they took on a name which invites comparison to the Elves of lore. There is elf power and then there is Elf Power. I mean, sure Legolas does some neat stunts, but he ain’t no Gil-Galad.
Despite these obstacles, Elf Power has managed to remain prolific, producing quite a few good songs and a couple great ones over the past decade. Their new album Back to the Web came out in April, and while it bears a number of resemblances to their past work, it’s certainly not a re-tread.
While their earlier works drew primary inspiration from the name of the band, with a liberal dab of fantasy settings, and a lot of power pop, this album is a darker, slower, and more lush record. This album owes much more to folk traditions than the indie-pop of their older records. While this experimentation is certainly to be admired, and sounds great when well-done, there are times when I can’t help but wish they had stuck a little closer to the script.
There are segments of the album that feel like unfulfilled promises. They develop some interesting themes but there’s just not enough punch to the songs to elevate them. Indeed, the whole second half of the album falls victim to this problem. I don’t dislike any of the songs, but neither am I particularly infatuated with any of them.
The first half, however, is extremely well done, culminating in my two favorite songs:
Peel Back The Moon, Beware!23rd Dream
The first track, a tale of long glances and love (perhaps in vain?) amidst the rain, exemplifies the best of the jaunty, lilting appropriation of the folk tradition. “23rd Dream” is the counterpart, moving more slowly though the banjo (I think) dances on top of the more foreboding main theme. If all of the album could have sustained the strength of these songs, this could have been a truly significant record.
Nevertheless, I’d still recommend the album, especially to those who enjoyed past Elf Power albums, or other Elephant 6 groups. While it may not all that I hoped it could be, there is a lot to be said for making the effort, and it remains a very pleasant listen.