ALBUM REVIEW: ELEVANT ‘ELEVANT’

Liverpudlian rockers Elevant introduce themselves with a psychedelic fueled debut.
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Psychedelic, post-punk and heavy rock is thrown full force at us in the shape of Elevant‘s eponymous debut album. Rather then rushing to eagerly tell us what they’re all about, Elevant have introduced themselves with a teasing element of anticipation. Creeping bass lines and psychedelic backdrops which provides the calm before the lightening storm of fast and furious riffs with pounding rhythms.

It’s impossible to pin a label of one genre onto Elevant which also deems it impossible to form a speedy first impression. ‘Living At Night’ and ‘Same As It Ever Was’ shows immense dedication to their guitar solos – and coupled with Michael Edward’s animalistic vocals – the tracks are placed on the borderline of heavy metal. However psychedelic rock and post-punk are also chucked into the mix with the shout-a-long chorus of ‘Good Clean Fun’ and the psychopathic whispering of ‘Inhale/Exhale’ being the first we hear of Edward’s vocals.

Following the close intensity of an album driven by such manic speed, ‘Is This It?’  and ‘No Goodbye’ is the gentle comedown of the album with its spoken word soundbites and vocal improvisation bringing to mind a male version of Pink Floyd’s ‘Great Gig In The Sky.’ Although such a variety of genres are squeezed into eight tracks, they are approached as though Elevant are veterans in each one. Due to this, a constant reminder is needed that this their debut offering.

Nicky Lee-Delisle

Nicky Lee-Delisle

Nicky Lee-Delisle