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Hold Tight The Ropes

by Elk City

/
1.
Indiana 03:23
2.
3.
Smile 04:16
4.
5.
6.
Rosemary 06:17
7.
Football 03:37
8.
K-Mart 05:19
9.
Crimson 05:13
10.
Summer Song 04:55
11.

about

AllMusic review by Matt Fink:

On their second full-length release, Elk City further refines their blend of psychedelia, folk-rock, and indie rock with Hold Tight the Ropes. Presenting a caustic and vulnerable beauty, guitarist Peter Langland-Hassan and bassist (actually a Fender-Rhodes piano bass) Renee LoBue create strangely intense dark dialogues over a hazy din of ominous sounds.

A study in combining slightly contrary elements, LoBue's sighing vocals and Langland-Hassan's almost taunting, Stephen Malkmus-esque delivery create an odd tension between the apparent resignation and defiance found in the moods displayed. With lean, muscular guitars becoming quite reminiscent of Neil Young's late-'70s work with Crazy Horse, they manage to shovel several layers of dissonance over the vocals, rendering them fairly indecipherable but not keeping the underlying moods from fully emerging. Although the rather no-frills approach generally suits them very well, the burned-out balladry of tracks like "Crimson" and the three-chord catchiness of "Summer Song" provide particularly affecting moments.

Ultimately, even though the everyday elements of their generally irony-free songwriting makes them a band somewhat lacking in gimmicks, Elk City are masters at taking the commonplace and creating something vaguely familiar and inviting but deceptively enduring all the same.

credits

released April 23, 2002

Produced by Ray Ketchem
Songs by Ketchem, Langland-Hassan, LoBue
© 2002 Elk City published by sound is crazy music (BMI)

Peter Langland-Hassan / vocals, guitar, harmonica
Renée LoBue / vocals, Fender Rhodes Piano Bass
Ray Ketchem / drums, organ, synths, percussion

Guests:
Bob Hoffnar / pedal steel guitar on 1, 2 & 6
Dan McKinney / organ and piano on 7 & 10
Jason Glasser / cello & violin on 3 & 9
Linnea Weiss / cello on 3 & 9

Recorded and mixed by Ray Ketchem in the WOMB
Organ & piano on 7 & 10 recorded at Dan's House Studio
Mastered by Roger Seibel at SAE Mastering

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all rights reserved

tags

about

Elk City Montclair, New Jersey

"Elk City’s cool and elegant sound draws on 1980s “dream pop” and bits of 1960s folk-rock."
- The New York Times 

"Elk City is one of NYC's best kept secrets; they'll appeal to fans of the Clientele, Camera Obscura and, seriously, Fleetwood Mac."
- L Magazine 

"LoBue is a firebrand - soft and gentle one minute, raising the hairs on your neck the next."
- PopMatters
... more

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