Elk City - 2023 - Undertow [mini-review]

(35:15; Magic Door Record Label)



















US band Elk City are out with the album "Undertow", and I suspect that progressive rock is the best manner in which to define this production, albeit art rock strikes me as perhaps a better general description. This due to the song structures as such being more straight forward affairs, and the progressive elements tend to revolve around details in the arrangements themselves. The band play around with a number of different styles and traditions here, with Americana and dream pop being just as prominent as indie pop. Most songs will feature various degrees of psychedelic rock impulses, at times seguing over to or replaced with post-rock style textured instrument layers, and with a little bit of a noise rock influx here and there too. We also get a few songs that makes good use of orchestral details, and various kinds of sounds and unusual instrument details is an important part of the landscapes explored. With clean, controlled and appealing vocals as the glue that holds everything together and that in many cases does a very good job of carrying the songs. A production to seek out by those who enjoy art rock of the elegant and diverse variety.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, December 2023

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/elkcityband
https://www.facebook.com/magicdoorrecordlabel/

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