ARTIST: Elk City
TITLE: New Believers
LABEL: Friendly Fire Recordings
GENRE: Indie
BITRATE: 177kbps avg
PLAYTIME: 0h 42m total
RELEASE DATE: 2007-04-17
RIP DATE: 2007-03-30
Track List
----------
1. Cherries In The Snow 3:20
2. Little Brother 4:26
3. Silver Lawyers 4:16
4. Los Cruzados 4:17
5. White Walls 3:28
6. Totally Free 4:31
7. You Got Me 2:46
8. My Type Of Criminal 4:29
9. Melody 3:23
10. Nighttime 4:37
11. Magic Door 2:37
Release Notes:
Firebrand RenΘe LoBue brings you on a free- wheeling make-out session after your
worst break-up.
Elk City's RenΘe LoBue (singer/songwriter) and Ray Ketchem (drummer/producer)
have teamed with influential ex-Luna guitarist Sean Eden and ex- Lovelies
bassist Barbara Endes on New Believers, the band's finest work to date.
When recording began for New Believers back in 2004, neither member of the
NYC-based Elk City knew what would become of it. LoBue had penned a notebook
full of confessional, imaginative songs following the tumultuous departure of
guitarist/ vocalist Peter Langland-Hassan, the male half of the boy/girl duets
that had marked the groupÆs first three releases. LoBueÆs songs described how
the trio sheÆd been a part of for four years had dissolved with little warning.
She brought them to longtime collaborator Ketchem's studio.
Upon hearing LoBue's newly inspired voice, KetchemÆs mission was clear: the band
would recall the soul of Dusty Springfield, the power of Patti Smith, the big
sound of Phil Spector and the warped-pop sensibilities of The Breeders on an
album that brought LoBue to the front.
Ketchem began making calls to bands he'd produced. The first was to psychedelic
guitarist Brother JT (Drag City). Driving 170 miles to every session, JT played
guitars and sang backing vocals that brought out the best in LoBue's songs.
Soon, word came that the legendary dream-pop act Luna were disbanding. Ketchem
knew his friend, guitarist Sean Eden, would be a perfect compliment to LoBue's
adept pop idiom. Eden had spent 13 years in Luna perfecting his fluid style, an
ideal counterpart to LoBue's voice. They gave it a try during a residency at New
York's Pianos in the summer of 2005. Crackling onstage chemistry made it
unmistakable: this new group was something special.
Elk City's roots are deep: LoBue and Ketchem first paired as Melting Hopefuls, a
pioneering 1990's band that scored two "Single of the Week" picks in England's
Melody Maker and a SPIN Top Ten Single. In 1998, they became Elk City and
recorded two critically acclaimed albums: 2000's status (Hidden Agenda) and
2002's Hold Tight the Ropes (WARM/ Touch & Go). The band criss-crossed the US
and Europe endlessly to promote their releases, touring with The Walkmen, Luna
and The National. Elk City became the first group to sign with trailblazing
French imprint Talitres and performed for more than 450,000 listeners on French
radio.
This new Elk City calls upon a wide palette of influences: 1960Æs psychedelic
bands such as Love, the girl group sounds of classic Motown, 1970Æs proto-punk
heroes John Cale and Television, and 1980Æs alternative rock such as The Smiths
and The Pixies. Never fearful of experimentation, these musicians are pushing
new boundaries with their work, weaving Ketchem's ace production and LoBue's
striking voice with the lyrical guitar of Eden atop Endes' solid foundation.
New Believers closes with the promise "be set for more." With New Believers as
example, there is much more in store for fans of Elk City.