Drowned in Sound

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Elefant
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by Mario Pisani
  • Type: Album
  • Release date: 22/11/2004
It’s quite depressing that so many bands from NYC are generally good, while British offerings are so much more variable. Is it that there is just less variation in the quality of bands from across the pond? Or is it that we live behind a veil of ignorance that protects us from all the rubbish bands that the New World spawns, and simply filters them away before they reach the white cliffs of Dover and the yellow inner ears of British music lovers? In this case such a discussion is purely a digression, because Elefant are yet another proficient outfit from New York which chooses its cultural references right, pitches them at the right level and provides a coherent album.

There is a lot in ’Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid’ that sounds familiar, even though this is their first album and DiS has no recollection of seeing them live before. Quite simply, it’s a lot of the music and artists that you’ve have grown up with. This is perhaps the inevitable consequence of listening to a band where the main man, Diego Garcia (Detroit born, Argentinean family) is about the same age many of you readers, went to school around the same time as we did - we probably listened to the same stuff as kids – if this reviewer made music, it would probably sound like this. You can hear The Cure in ‘Tonight Let’s Dance’, Morrissey in ’Misfit’, Radiohead in ’Annie’ and The Strokes with intermittent regularity. But is this enough? A computer could produce a collage of the sounds of the popular bands over the past 10 years. This is something else, there is a conscious realisation that the references are traceable, while at the same time enough work has been done around them to render Elefant’s first album an enjoyable New Wave experience. And while the album is nicely succinct, it lacks a peak, a song to get really excited about.

And don’t be surprised if, like DiS, you find yourself reaching for your copy of The Cure’s ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’ immediately after the first listen.

  • Elefant 7 / 10
Words: Mario Pisani

Elefant - Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid

Mario,

Without having heard the album, I can yet agree with your thoughts, "A computer could produce a collage of the sounds of the pop bands over the past 10 years." Not many exceptions taken.

Having grown up as a musician during the 60's & 70's, I've had to endure this phenomenon for a little longer. And being a musician/writer, I find that my own music is a bit more expansive, and for lack of a word, different. But only in that it connects to the sounds from that era. Especially towards the Beatles/Beachboys/Stones. And in a sense, those bands were the Everly Brothers and Chuck Berry amped up with the technology afforded them from that time.

But I ask, where do we go from here? With technology no longer a barrier to anyone with a home studio, it has got to go back to the roots. Isn't that why Nora Jones could hit it big with simplistic, yet provocative mood music?

You've hit a chord with your opinion, one that I hear quite often amongst friends and common musicians, but I don't think the big labels and media controllers understand the discussion.

I apologize that I didn't stick with New Wave, but I do understand your point. Nice article....

Bri

Re: Elefant - Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid

don't you think it would be better to progress than to go back to anything? all this back to roots is acting as more of an excuse than a reason recently.

Re: Elefant - Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid

Not if your definition of "progression" means "anything different."

Progression means "advance to betterment."

Elefant - Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid

i'm not sold on them. saw them with oceansize (at the borderline) and have heard the album but like you say, they're competent but not really very interesting.

xxx

Elefant - Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid

I agree with the review of this album; I bought it and wasn't too impressed, but not utterly disappointed.

Did this just come out in Britain/Europe or something? It's been out forever over here...

Elefant - Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid


Hello,

I do own this album & I love listening to it, especially now, in winter season. Elefant's songs reach to create this very unique melancholic atmosphere ("Bokkie", "Now That I Miss Her", ..) & the more I listened to it, the more it has finally totally grown on me ...

It's a very beautiful indie/alternative album with loads of heartbreaking lyrics .. and wonderful melodies.

*cecilia* :D

Elefant - Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid

"Misfit" is one of my favorite songs this year, and the rest of the album is just as good. We constantly play this song around the office and it is a favorite here as well. "Tonight Let's Dance" is another favorite of mine off this album.
I highly recommend it!

Elefant - Misfit Video

I just saw Elefant's latest video for Misfit on launch.com. Diego is soooo HOT!!! and it's a good video.

vote for it!
http://launch.yahoo.com/promotions/whosnext/