Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply amazing!, April 19, 2004
This cd is beautiful. It's a great cd to drive around and think to. This cd brought tears to my eyes on my vacation...when i was watching the ocean pass on the ship. I honeslty recommend anyone who is into stringed instruments incorporated into wonderful music to go and purchase this album and listen to it straight through...
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
like a lush van gogh landscape, October 11, 2006
I first heard the song "Beijing" on Pandora. I was working furiously on something when the song began gradually emanating from the computer in the room and suffused the air with these gentle, lush combinations of voice, guitar, drums...It was unreal. I stopped everything, stared off into space, and only recovered when the song was over. I bought the album almost immediately. I think it is virtually impossible to single the songs out and rate them individually. Like some people have already suggested, Elliot's songs are symphonic and seamless, leaving you with memories of the entire album and no distinct memories of individual songs. I can only say that I am so envious of people who got to see Elliot live. Its baffling that they are no longer together. What an amazing album!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sounds Just Like Something You'd Expect To Hear If You Were Floating In The Air, August 7, 2006
I'm a late comer to the Elliot camp, having not heard them until their final release "Photorecording", and coming across this album after purchasing that one. However it can only be said that Elliot had to have been one of the most underappreciated acts in Indie rock. It's almost a shame that a band so talented and dynamic is no longer making music together, as their striking blend of mellow rock was not only original and captivating, but an absolute pleasure to listen to. Much in the way artists like Ariel Kill Him and The Appleseed Cast blend atmospheric, spacy rock with lush instrumentation, Elliot creates vibrant soundscapes and tuneful melodies that circle around the listener from every angle. Not just that but Elliot are also seemingly able to create an album which seems more like one giant piece, rather than just a collection of songs. The album as a whole feels complete and that is quite an accomplishment. Why are such talented bands continuing to call it quits?
In the vein of Post-Rock, Elliot seems to enjoy pushing their instrumentation to the front of their sound. Not to say the vocals are unimportant, but when you listen to this cd you hear the music more than the words. However the soft and affectionate way the vocals are delivered adds a stunning texture to the music and a perfect backdrop to their endearing musical work. While most of the songs are slow-moving (and I'm regularly a fan of faster paced music), I can't help but get captivated in almost every single one. Even epics like "Beijing (Too Many People)" which creeps along slowly to its 7:24 mark isn't in the slightest bit boring or dull. That's saying a lot when people in today's musical world have such short attention spans.
Picking favorites is a pretty difficult task for the disc, because in reality every song offers something different and unique. "Carry On", with its soulful violins and beautiful melodies, is probably the most straight-forward and upbeat of any track, but still has plenty of twists and turns to keep the listener interested. The two instrumental pieces, "Drag Like Pull" and "Genea" are two highlights, the former being a slow-building but gradually epic conjuring of rock riffs and exceptional drumming, and the latter being a serene and nurturing ending to the disc. "Believe" and the title track are both keepers, with their excellent lyrics and magnificent structures. Like the title of the record implies, most of these songs make you feel like you are floating in the air. And if this is what floating in the air feels like, then I'd probably never want to walk on solid ground again.
This album, their exceptionally recorded final offering "Photorecording", and the absolutely magnificent "False Cathedrals" are all necessary purchases for fans of the said genre ("Us Songs" is as well), or those who enjoy well thought out and executed indie rock. Elliot quickly became one of my most played bands with this disc, and having looked into all their other full lengths, I can safely say this way a band that went unnoticed for far too long. If you happen to stumble across this or any other release by these guys, do yourself a favor and pick it up, especially if you're into music along the lines of Ariel Kill Him, Sigur Ros, or The Appleseed Cast. With all this talent it's hard for me to believe that they called it quits, but I'm guessing time and situations dictate responses. As for now we can only hope for a reunion sometime in the future.
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by Elliott 
