Elf Power is on the move again, and it could not be a better time. Oh I so needed this! One of the bands that is on constant play here at Chez Tart, Elf Power is set to release it’s tenth studio album in September. Simply titled Elf Power, it’s in memory of mentor and frequent collaborator, Vic Chestnut. Look for a tour in September here in the States, and November for you darlings in Europe.

I transitioned into this band from late 70s prog rock – it was no stretch. And while I appreciate the genre that most give Elf Power, that of “psych-rock,” to me they’re simply a natural extension of bands like Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Jethro Tull. Sure, there were loads of bands inbetween, and I listened to some of them too. But folk-rock always goes back to that late 70s, British-influenced  moment in my mind. It was the late 70s when it hit me and that kind of first generation imprint never really leaves you.

I’m listening this whole album now and much of it’s quintessentially Elf Power. My favorite records from this band, which has been together for almost as long as I’ve been married (!), have always been Creatures and The Winter is Coming. To my ears, Elf Power, this latest work, recalls that heyday of their career. They seem to have channeled not only the eclectic sound that encompasses this band’s charm but also incorporated on this record some very distinct styles to give them an Elf Power treatment. For example; “Tiny Insects” would feel right at home on Creatures; it is light and sharp with harpsichord-like strings and a humming/strumming to accompany Reiger’s sing-song lyrics. On the other hand,  opening track “The Taking Under” has a real Roy Orbison feel to it that is instantly recognizable yet truly Elf Powered. Instrumentation on this album is rich and imaginative. Buzzing and humming, Elf Power creates familiarity and stretches their sound to cover standard genres with a fine Elven dusting of multi-layered beauty. And yes, in the end, “the animal always wins” as Andrew Reiger so poignantly sings.

Stranger in the Window by Deus Ex Machina Publicity

Tracklisting

The Taking Under
Wander Through
Stranger in the Window
Like a Cannonball
Boots of Lead
Spidereggs
Ghost of John
The Concrete and the Walls
Goldmine in the Sun
Tiny Insects
Little Black Holes
Little Hand