Eleven Elephants

Six Demon Bag by Man Man

Thu, 20 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Man Man's previous record, The Man In A Blue Turban With A Face, definitely grabbed my attention. While parts of it were a bit too messy, their overall digestible blend of weirdness and accessibility eventually won me over. Now, with Six Demon Bag, Man Man have exceeded all of my...

The Loon by Tapes 'n Tapes

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT

These lo-fi rock and rollers don't give a hoot if it's been done. They don't give a holler if it's been overdone, they've overdid what's been overdone and making it overdittilicious. From the fuzz-induced vocals reminiscient of The Strokes on Just Drums, or the acoustic guitars and odd keys reminiscient...

Both Sides of the Gun by Ben Harper

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT

Where in tarnation does Ben Harper get off releasing a double album with just 18 songs in total, 9 on each?! Well, he can do it because he has two distinctive sounds - two deliciously, seductive, outstanding sounds. Since Mr. Harper went and found himself some Innocent Criminals (aren't they...

The Eraser by Thom Yorke

Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT

It's true. I'm most likely biased. I am a huge Radiohead fan and must fess up before we go any further. Now that we've got filthy secrets out there, let's carry on. First off...The Eraser is an interesting listen and most likely won't be attracting any new fans outside of...

Space Between by Lesser Birds of Paradise

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EDT

In 1994 I fell in love with a young Jennifer Love Hewitt in ABC's The Byrds of Paradise. She was a trouble maker and I liked it. Whatever happened to her, anyway? The Lesser Birds of Paradise have been floating around since late 1998 lead by singer-songwriter...

The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST

Be it the viability of 3rd parties in American politics, or the profundity of writers like Jack Kerouac and Nietzsche, I was wrong about a lot of things in college. It is only after descending from the purportedly ivory towers of higher education that I have truly realized things...

The Silver Age by Morning Spy

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST

While the winter storm this weekend didn� t amount to as much as the weather-folks predicted, I� m still pretending that I� m snowed-in my apartment. I� m drinking the obligatory cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows, not showering until the afternoon, and I have a stack of movies lined-up for the evening. It� s...

Dead Hearts by Dead Hearts

Sun, 22 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST

Album covers should be somewhat indicative of the music contained on the slab of plastic or vinyl contained within. Putting a creepy old picture of a flower girl with the word "DEAD" above her implies something dark and disturbing. However, Dead Hearts really should have used one of those old...

Head Wound City by Head Wound City

Sun, 22 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST

Let� s face it, people…there� s really no need for me to review this record. When I tell you that Head Wound City� s members spend most of their time with the The Locust (Justin Pearson, Gabe Serbian), Blood Brothers (Jordan Blilie, Cody Votolato), and Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Nick Zinner), you should have...

Do As I Tell You by Get Him Eat Him

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST

Providence, Rhode Island's Get Him Eat Him has recently teamed up with Catbird Records (from The Catbirdseat blog fame) to release a brilliant four track EP that is by far one of my favorite releases of 2006 (only 16 days in are we? that's 1/24th!). Each...

One Night Stand: Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 by Sam Cooke

Fri, 13 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST

Here's a lesson in showmanship. Recorded in 1963 at Miami's Harlem Square Club, and recently remixed and reissued, this live set from one of the pillars of soul music stands as a testament to the talent, charisma, and timelessness of Sam Cooke. His voice rawer and all the...

Italian by My Education

Tue, 03 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST

In the post-Slint, post-rock, post-vocals world, bands like Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emperor! pioneered brooding instrumental rock. The general formula consists of a hushed intro that, through repetition, gradually builds into an explosive crescendo 7-25 minutes later. Both bands, Mogwai especially, managed to work wonders with that formula. However,...

A John Waters Christmas by Various Artists

Tue, 20 Dec 2005 00:00:00 EST

I never thought the day would come when I� d purchase a Christmas album. During the month of December, it� s a near-impossible feat to go anywhere without hearing sleigh-bells jing-jing-jingling. By the end of the holiday season, my head is playing a non-stop music marathon of Christmas songs that lasts until...

Oh You're So Silent Jens by Jens Lekman

Tue, 20 Dec 2005 00:00:00 EST

There really is a curse of putting out a great album in November/December, you miss out on a lot of top 10 lists, glory, applause, gratification, etc. Similar to putting out a great album in January, the near sightedness of the American Critic Faction strickens your album from existance....

Hard Times Are in Fashion by Koufax

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 00:00:00 EST

It seems a strange thing that the guitar as become the key symbol of rock and roll, when rock really came from the crack between two piano keys beaten to shit by a gay coke whore/ future-born-again-Christian named Little Richard. His was the sound of no holding back, and...

This Is Hell by This Is Hell

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 00:00:00 EST

Despite boasting some eye-catching artwork, This Is Hell� s self-titled EP offers little in terms of musical originality. Their brand of metal-tinged hardcore is fast, loud, and pissed. If you take a glance at their lyric sheet, you� ll read lines like: ‽Tonight I� m ripping flesh from bone / I� m slashing throats...

First Light's Freeze by Castanets

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 00:00:00 EST

Looking back at my review of Castanets' debut, Cathedral, I really think it deserved better. An 8 is surely nothing to scoff at, but it was one of those albums that rarely left my stereo over this past year…a modern classic, if you will. Needless to say, I couldn� t wait...

Phantom Telegrams by The Handsome Pants

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 00:00:00 EST

The Handsome Pants is Eleven Elephants� very own reviewer extraordinaire Chad Schell-McGaw. His first album, Phantom Telegrams, presents one of those rare instances when a critic performs, ennabling bands that he has thrashed in the past to exact revenge. Of course tracking down the bedroom-produced and self-distributed album will...

Parker Street Cinema by Parker Street Cinema

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 00:00:00 EST

‽Cinematic" music doesn� t always work without visual accompaniment. While I� ve watched hundreds of thousands of movies, I rarely buy soundtracks because they usually just end up turning into background noise. Parker Street Cinema is a band that lives up to their theatric name, but due to a muscular rhythm section,...

It Used To Be Knobs and Machines and Now It's Numbers and Light by Sharks & Seals

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:00:00 EST

The question is whether it is better to try to forge new ground, assuming that new is always better, or to rely on established forms and wear in the path of mediocrity, circumnavigating nowhere, defeated by memory. All I know is that if Sharks and Seals are leading the...

The Runners Four by Deerhoof

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:00:00 EST

My Deerhoof experience began with Milk Man which, at the time, was their most accessible record. I loved it, but most critics gave it lukewarm reviews, in favor of their older stuff; namely Reveille and Apple O'. Call me crazy, but when I listened to those records, I wasn't that...

3 by Joel R.L. Phelps

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 00:00:00 EST

Some people call this album, released in 1998 by Pacifico, Joel Phelps & The Downer Trio's best work. Those people, I conjecture, haven't heard any of Mr. Phelps' other releases. Three albums into his third group, and Joel sounds out of gas to...

Feels by Animal Collective

Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:00:00 EST

Here the Animal Collective provides another enthralling, adventurous, frustrating, and ambiguous listening experience. While supposedly their most 'pop' album to date, listeners new to Animal Collective wouldn't find a trace of evidence to support this. The only other Animal Collective album I am familiar with is Sung Tongs,...

The Downer Trio by Joel R.L. Phelps

Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:00:00 EST

Oh hello. Hi there. What are you up to? Reading Eleven Elephants, huh? Listen, do you have a minute? I think it� s time we had a talk. No, we can� t put this off...

Taxidermy by Obsolete Heart

Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:00:00 EST

Upon entering Eleven Elephants Headquarters for the first time, I was greeted by two curious figures. One of them resembled a grown-up version of Elroy Jetson and the other was a nun adorning an eye-patch. The next thing I remember was groggily awaking in my own apartment next to a...