There’s something about the city of Athens, GA that produces stellar lo-fi bands. The band Elf Power have been quietly doing their own thing since their 1995 debut. They’ve always been a favorite down in the steamy south, but their latest album Back to the Web could easily turn out to be the one that gets them some long over-due recognition from the rest of the country.
Sounding like a kissing cousin to Athens most famous natives R.E.M., Elf Power have crafted a serious of haunting songs that play almost like mini-movies. In fact, most of their tunes are so steeped in atmosphere that they take on a life beyond the lyrics and music. “Peel Back the Moon, Beware!” instantly conjures up image upon image. If the title doesn’t have you thinking spooky thoughts, the rest of the track where “everything was gritty / stealing through the city” will surely do the trick. Another stand out song is the exotically flavored “King of Earth”. I hesitate to use the word gorgeous to describe a song, but it fits here.
Back to the Web offers up 12 track worth of music, which is about two or three to many for the album. While the first and last halves of the album are loaded with the kind of songs you play over and over again, the mid-section is somewhat weaker and less developed. ‘Somewhere Down The River” and “Forming” don’t have the same propulsive power and strong imagery of their fellow tracks.
Overall though, Elf Power is one of the best around when it comes to putting out lyrical lo-fi folk and Back to the Web is no exception. Playing to their strengths, the band has created another mostly-solid disc that would be a worthwhile addition to any music collection. |