Album Review: Elf Power

Elf Power dedicates their latest release to the late, great Vic Chesnutt, with whom they played with on both a collaborative release (Dark Developments) and co-headlining tour. Unfortunately, Elf Power seems to have taken a creative back step from 2008′s In A Cave, one of our favorites of that or any year, and their 10th and self-titled release. Andrew Rieger’s lyrics and delivery are surprisingly prosaic and monotonous throughout much of the record.

There are few highlights beyond the first single, “Stranger in the Window.” Musically, the album suffers the same fate, an absence of the mind-blowing creative stroke that was present in just about every track on their last album. Hopefully, this release is just a temporary bump in the road, and Rieger and company will return to form shortly. In the meantime, I find myself returning to In A Cave frequently these past few weeks to counteract my disappointment for the new release.

Elf Power – Stranger In The Window by jobology

The Taking Under: An Interview With Elf Power

The last time Elephant 6 veterans Elf Power hit the road, it was a co-headlining gig with Athens, Georgia legend Vic Chestnutt. The band also collaborated with Chestnutt on the critically-acclaimed Dark Developments in 2009. This Fall, the band will tour with the long-awaited Elephant 6 film, Major Organ and the Adding Machine, in which lead singer Andrew Rieger plays one of the principal characters. The film is the visual counterpart to the 2001 album by the same name and is set for release along with Elf Power’s tenth and self-titled release on September 14. We got a chance to speak with lead singer and songwriter Andrew Rieger about their latest record, the influence of Vic Chestnutt, and the bonus material on the Major Organ DVD.

Fishpork: I read the notes you guys wrote about Vic Chestnutt on your web site. It wasn’t hard to tell that you guys really embraced your time him. What was it like working with Vic in the studio and on tour?

FP: What influence has your relationship with Vic had on the band moving forward?

FP: Are there any unreleased tracks from the Dark Developments sessions that may ever see the light of day?

FP: I’m such a big fan of your last album, In A Cave. We’ve only just received the review copy of your new self-titled record. Did you guys take a similar approach for the new record?

FP: Did you guys work with a producer or did you self-produce the record?

FP: Are there any guest collaborations on the record beyond the usual suspects in and around Athens?

FP: The Major Organ and the Adding Machine DVD finally gets a proper release on the same day your new album comes out. What were your contributions to the album and film?

FP: The release notes for the DVD say there is some rare unreleased Elf Power videos on the DVD. Is there anything you can share about those?

FP: We’re happy to see a supporting tour scheduled this Fall to support the new album. Are you bringing anyone on the road with you?

FP: We were lucky enough to see Jeff perform at the Chris Knox Benefit show in May. What was your reaction to his performance?

Elf Power have dedicated the new album to Vic Chestnutt, who committed suicide last Christmas. You can download their first single off the new record, “Stranger In the Window,” here or stream it below:

MP3: “Stranger In The Window” by Elf Power

Elf Power follow up 2008′s In A Cave, one of my favorite albums in recent memory, with their tenth (and self-titled) album. Their Dark Developments collaboration with recently deceased Vic Chestnutt has obvious influences here. A new Orange Twin release always holds out hope for a Jeff Mangum contribution as well. The album is due in September. You can download “Stranger In the Window” by Elf Power here or stream it below:

Fishpork’s 10 Favorite Shows of 2009

It was another full year of remarkable live shows in 2009, which was also not immune to a few train wrecks (Enon, Dan Deacon). Whether it was a cold and rainy night in Philly to see White Lies overcome a historically shitty venue to play a show for the ages or a late night train ride to the East Village to see Karin Dreijer Andersson’s Fever Ray outfit put on a visually stunning performance, this past year reinforced our music fandom. Here’s a list of our favorite shows of 2009:

1. White Lies @ First Unitarian Church
2. Grizzly Bear @ Trocadero
3. Fever Ray @ Webster Hall
4. Tapes N’ Tapes @ Johnny Brenda’s
5. Animal Collective @ Bowery Ballroom
6. Morrissey @ Carnegie Hall
7. Vic Chestnutt & Elf Power @ Bowery Ballroom
8. Autolux @ Johnny Brenda’s
9. Built to Spill @ SIREN Festival
10. Monsters of Folk @ United Palace
    

Least Favorite:

• Enon @ Johnny Brenda’s
• Dan Deacon/Deerhunter/No Age @ Fly W Airport
• NIN/JA @ PNC Bank Arts Center

Vic Chestnutt & Elf Power @ The Bowery Ballroom

Not knowing exactly what to expect from this show, it was certain that two of my favorite albums of 2008 were going to be highlighted on this cold Friday night in New York City. When Elf Power frontman, Andrew Rieger, emailed me with the news that Elf Power would play an entire opening set before supporting the album they recorded with Vic, my anticipation grew. We got there while Elf Power were setting up, and Pete had a quick word with Andrew. Mr. Elf Power also commented on the Neutral Milk Hotel t-shirt I was wearing, one he sold me via Orange Twin Records a few weeks back.

Elf Power left the stage for just a few minutes before making their formal entrance. They opened with “Step Through the Portal …” and then went right into their newest LP, In a Cave (#6 on Fishpork’s Favorite Albums list). Rieger and company played effortlessly through songs like “Owl Cut,” “Spiral Stairs” and “Softly Through the Void.” You can’t say enough about the sound quality at the Bowery. It’s just flawless. I would prefer the Music Hall of Williamsburg (adjacent to a great bar scene) and Johnny Brenda’s (IPA on tap with only 200 person max), but the Bowery is near the top. Elf Power finished their set with an epic version of “Back to the Web” from the LP by the same name and left the stage promising to be back shortly with Vic Chestnutt. The crowd at this point was still only about half of the 600 maximum capacity. Shame on you, New York!

The band returned just minutes later, this time carrying the legend himself and his wheel chair to an area right in front of us. The crowd finally filled up most of the venue at this point. For those unfamiliar, Vic was injured in a car accident when he was 18. The accident left him partially paralyzed. His ability to play guitar was not altogether lost, although it does take a lot of energy for Chestnutt to set up his leg on his array of guitar pedals, a process that he joked about with the crowd. His set up included an undersized acoustic guitar with five effects pedals below and a harmonica. When Vic was younger he played regularly at local shows in Athens, Georgia before being discovered by Michael Stipe of REM. Stipe went on to produce Chestnutt’s first two albums in the early 90s.

Chestnutt’s newest album was a collaborative effort with Elf Power called Dark Developments, an altogether catchy, scathing and lyrically high brow effort. Vic announced he and the band would play the album in its entirety, a concept that has been popular in recent years with established bands. Chestnutt began the “la la la” opening of “Mystery,” and the crowd became catatonic. This man has more passion in his broken down body than any musician alive today. He told the stories behind many of the tracks and interacted with the audience all night. He explained, “I wrote this song. It’s called ‘Little Fucker.’ I wrote it about myself.”

The highlight of the night was an angry rant about recent campaign hero, Joe the Plumber. Vic explained that he worked on the concept for the song “Phil the Fiddler” for two years before Joe the Plumber came along. “Fuck Joe the Plummer,” he yelled before going into the album’s closing track. Vic ended the show with two older tracks that have me scrambling to download all of his older stuff. The show was a long one, as Elf Power played for almost an hour, and Vic played for close to 90 minutes. It was all worth several times the $15 ticket. The show will, without a doubt, end up on our list of favorites for 2009.

Share

The Fishpork 20: Favorite Albums of 2008

Remember this era in music. It’s a special one. We’re going to look back and talk about it like we talk about the 60s or 70s. I used to miss all the great bands that came out of the 90s, but my longing for the hay days of grunge and industrial has since dissipated. Go ahead and disagree, but this is a renaissance period for music. This year was no exception. In fact, it served as an endless discovery period of great bands and classic albums. However, our favorite album of 2008 was not a difficult choice at all. Here is our list of favorite albums of 2008:

1. Deerhunter – Microcastle/Weird Era Cont.
2. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
3. Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
4. TV on the Radio – Dear Science
5. Eric Avery – Help Wanted
6. Elf Power – In a Cave
7. Guns N’ Roses – Chinese Democracy
8. Nine Inch Nails – The Slip
9. Tapes N’ Tapes – Walk It Off
10. Atlas Sound – Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
11. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
12. Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I-IV
13. Portishead – Third
14. Sigur Ros – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
15. Vic Chesnutt & Elf Power – Dark Developments
16. Ladytron – Velocifero
17. The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me
18. First Wave Hello – God Bless, Devil You
19. Fuck Buttons – Street Horsssing
20. David Byrne & Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
    

Honorable Mentions:

• Dub Trio – Another Sound is Dying
• Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer
• Health – Disco

Most Disappointing Albums:

• Beck – Modern Guilt
• SexTapes – SexTapes
• UNKLE – End Title . . . Stories For Film

Most Overrated Albums:

• Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
• Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
• Cold Play – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends

Fishpork will post our favorite songs and live shows of the year next week. Check back soon!

December’s Fresh Pork Cuts

Pete’s:

• The Rosebuds – Bow To The Middle
• Ben Folds – Bitch Went Nuts (Fake Version)
• Apes and Androids – Days of the Week
• Deerhunter – Operation
• Ra Ra Riot - Ghost Under Rocks

Mark’s:

• Autolux – Fat Kid
• Atlas Sound – Danse Infernale
• Vic Chestnutt, Elf Power & Amorphous Strums – Mystery
• Guns N’ Roses – This I Love
• Animal Collective – Brothersport

Update: Jeff Mangum Plays Neutral Milk Hotel!

No, Neutral Milk Hotel did not get together for a reunion tour. The news is not that promising. However, Jeff Mangum did muster up the courage to join his Elephant 6 collective on stage at a show at the Knitting Factory in NYC. The concert was part of the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour. Mangum was on stage for Olivia Tremor Control’s “The Opera House” and “I Have Been Floated,” and Elf Power’s “The Arrow Flies Close.” Unfortunately for fans, Jeff did not play any NMH tracks, but former NMH bandmate, Scott Spillane played “The Fool” from Neutral Milk Hotel’s masterpiece In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.  the rare appearance from the Indie rock recluse keeps hopes alive that we may one day see new material. Ex-NMH multiinstrumentalist Julian Koster recently told Billboard Magazine about Jeff’s immediate intentions:

Jeff told me he wants to make it to the Chicago show and maybe the Kentucky show, so we’ll see. I know he hasn’t played out much in the past few years, but he seemed very excited about this tour when I talked to him.

Jeff Mangum hasn’t played material from Neutral Milk Hotel since his last show in New Zealand on February 4, 2001. Here is a clip from Jeff’s surprise appearance at the Knitting Factory on October 11:

UPDATE:

It has actually happened. Just days after his surprise appearance at the Knitting Factory in New York, Jeff Mangum played a Neutral Milk Hotel track at back-to-back shows in Pittsburgh and Columbus. Julian Koster played the singing saw as Jeff strummed the deeply moving chords of Holland, 1945 B-side, Engine. Mangum may still be a little distraught over playing NMH material, as they remained in the crowd to play the song instead of performing on stage. This performance created one of the more memorable moments in recent memory. Jeff’s voice sounded better than ever. The lighting in the videos was absolutely terrible due to Jeff being in the crowd while playing. However, the sound quality is as good as it gets for this type of event. The flashing cameras gives short glimpses of Mangum, who has become a messiah-like figure in Indie rock since his mental breakdown and reclusive behavior. One can only hope that the road to recovery has brought him to a point where playing live will be a more frequent occurence. Maybe future recordings and touring is a possibility. Here is the video from the Ohio performance:

Another update (October 23, 2008) – Jeff played Engine in Chicago. This marks the third straight show that Jeff has played the NMH track!

Tapes ‘N Tapes Walk It Off

Tapes ‘N Tapes hit me hard when I discovered their 2004 LP The Loon. At the time, I was discovering a goldmine of great new bands (TV on the Radio, Saul Williams, LCD Soundsystem, Arcade Fire, Autolux), but Tapes ‘N Tapes’ debut album was stuck in my head for months, while all other tracks were deemed unworthy during that time. I listened on the way to work, on my computer, on the iPod, and even at family BBQs with family members giving me bewildered looks because of the awkward music selection. I can easily say that The Loon will certainly rank on my top 10 of the decade. How on Earth do you follow up a masterpiece? This is something I was worried about, as so many artists rarely reach the heights of their debut.

Upon first hearing the April release of their sophomore effort Walk It Off, I wasn’t sure what to think about the new songs. However, knowing that first impressions do not often last with challenging music (see Amnesiac), I continued to listen and wait for the payoff. It took a few weeks to warm up to the record, (partially delayed by my obsession with Animal Collective), but it finally hit me that Walk It Off is an another extraordinary collection of songs. The album’s first single, Hang ‘Em All picks up right where The Loon left off. The catchy guitar and offbeat lyrical delivery of frontman Josh Grier let the listener know they are in for something special. Grier mentioned in a recent  interview that the lyrics on this record were written with a bit of ambiguity as to let the listener interpret their meaning.

The distorted guitars and offbeat rhythms may confuse listeners expecting a pop record, but Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Elf Power, MGMT) has tied the loose edges into a digestible dish of cerebral indie rock. Additional standouts on the record include addicting indie anthem Conquest and the ultra-catchy and equally obnoxious George Michael. The album slows things down at times with the beautifully constructed Time of Songs and Say Back Something. It’s obvious that these guys are growing into their own as talented song writers. Most importantly, they don’t seem to be solely focused on the cash cow and continue to challenge their fans with new and exiting sounds. I really don’t get the comparisons to Pavement and the Pixies. Never being a big fan of either band, it seems to me that Tapes ‘N Tapes is taking indie rock into the next decade with an new and original sound. Whoever wants to come along better get on board before you miss the train.

http://myspace.com/tapesntapes

Video for first single, Hang ‘Em All:

Animal Collective Reveal New Song Live

The Pitchfork Music Festival 2008 came and went last week in Chicago. For those lucky enough to attend, they witnessed the musical rapture of bands like Elf Power, Fuck Buttons, Bon Iver, Apples in Stereo and Public Enemy. However, one of the most anticipated performances was that from festival headliners, Animal Collective. Frequently described as unpredictable live, AC treated the crowd to a new tune called “Lion in a Coma.” You can watch the performance of the new song below. Animal Collective will release their ninth full-length on Domino Records late this year. The LP is currently being called LP9, which should change as we get closer to the release date.