Albums by this artist

Creatures (2002)

Elf Power

Creatures

---

» TROY CARPENTER | CO-DIRECTOR

Elf Power Creatures sPINART, 2002 RiYL: Gerbils, Beulah, The Apples In Stereo

As Athens, Ga.-based power pop band Elf Power has grown older and wiser, it -- like so many magical elves of yore -- has eschewed many of the flippantly mystical aspects of its craft for an earthy philosophy more firmly rooted in ... well, in this case, rock'n'roll. The group's fifth album, Creatures, still retains the experience of its formative years in the heyday of psychedelic collective Elephant Six, but expresses itself in more of a straightforward manner, with a set of agreeable pop-rock tunes.

We may be past the days when Elephant Six was the hot indie commodity. Olivia Tremor Control has since begat splinter groups, and Neutral Milk Hotel hasn't released a studio album since 1998. Yet here's Elf Power, still plugging away with one of their most solid efforts yet. The group has been stripped to a core four-piece, still steered by Laura Carter and Andrew Rieger, but with contributions from many notables, including former Glands bassist Neil Golden and Olivia alumni Peter Erchick and Will Cullen Hart.

The bouncy "Let The Serpent Sleep" leads things off, setting a tone that's echoed throughout the record with its upbeat, driving rock melody and light harmonies. And the tempo doesn't change much at all until track five, "The Modern Mind," which takes the form of a waltz-time singalong with cryptic lyrics such as "release the modern mind / slip in and out of time / the water turns to wine / dripping from the trees."

The one realm in which the group retains most of its mystical qualitites would be the lyrics, which generally deal with the oft-sung creatures of the medieval world. On almost every song, Rieger is crooning about serpents, clawed birds, demons, sirens, and other beasts (not to even mention "The Creature" and "The Creature Part II"). When you mix in palaces, flames, voices in the dark, and an ominous "Haze," we're definitely talking hobbit-rock territory here. But hey, hobbits and elves are in vogue now, thanks to Peter Jackson and company! Guess who gets the last laugh.

Longevity's not always a great reason to like a band, but in this case Elf Power's persistency and consistency continues to pay dividends. Most of you indie scenesters know already if you dig these guys or not, but if the answer's yes, or if you can't get enough of the world of mythical beasts, Creatures should be right up your alley.

TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.