CD review: Elf Power
By Casey Gillis on May. 08, 2008
By Michael Chagnon, The Burg
ARTIST: Elf Power
CD: ‘In a Cave’
LABEL: Rykodisc
REVIEWER RATING: 3.5 out of 5
Elf Power was spawned from the Elephant Six Collective, which includes such acts as The Apples in Stereo, Neutral Milk Hotel, and of Montreal. E6 is a loosely-formed collective with musicians based in Athens, Ga. The group became somewhat official when Bryan Poole (of of Montreal fame) joined. Founding members Reiger and Carter have since moved to New York and Poole continued working with of Montreal in Athens, Ga., but the group has perservered despite many line-up changes and has released their tenth album, “In A Cave.”
Elf Power remains the indie pop rock group that they always were on “In A Cave,” but the use of different instrumentation has expanded dramatically. They no longer have the lo-fi sound they were once known for and while it is slicker, it is still just as endearing. “In A Cave” definitely has a psychedelic sound. As is the case with most E6 bands, it is difficult to discern which track could or should be a single because they’re all so infectious. Stand out tracks on this record include “Spiral Stairs” and “Paralyzed,” but only because they are a slight departure from the group’s previous work. It could be said, however, that “Softly Through the Void” is the peak of “In A Cave.”
There are 13 tracks total, with the shortest song clocking in at one minute and 21 seconds and the longest track lasting a whopping four minutes and five seconds. For more information, visit the official Elf Power Website at http://www.elfpower.com.
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