When the Red King Comes

Elf Power | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 21, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arena Rock
• ASIN: B000008TO6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,072 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars When the red king comes, bake him a nice cake, July 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: When the Red King Comes (Audio CD)

When I first heard this record I was immediately turned off by its lo-fi production and Velvet Undergroundesque chord progressions (lots of I-IV stuff). I don't mind lo-fi at all, but the world has seen enough velvets influence. ENOUGH. Please. NO MORE! However, many mysterious little elements kept cropping up: offbeat lyrics of castles and frightened singers, otherworldly pipes, eerie wooshing sounds, beguiling but subtle effects--not to mention a really cool album cover that took me back to the days when you could stare at a record's album art while auditioning the platter. Soon after, I was hooked, and didn't ever think of VU. These songs have a wistful, innocent charm and sense of mystery that blooms out from the simple band arrangements. The title track is a great anthem with an almost GBV meets tolkien feel. The Eno cover is absolutely wonderful. The melodies are simple but hooky, perfect for whirling my little daughter around. Like labelmates Olivia Tremor Control, this album is great escapist fun, but suffused with a poignant innocence that keeps it from being a mere pleasant distraction.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More neo-psychpop brilliance from the elephant 6 crew, March 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: When the Red King Comes (Audio CD)

Elf Power is the elephant 6's answer to the Flaming Lips. Jeff from Neutral Milk and Will from Olivia help out Elf Power on this one as do other elephants. Jeff's girlfriend is in the band. A little more folky and sometimes heavier than the rest of their ilk, Elf Power have created a stunning debut that stays in your head and drives you crazy until you play it again. Highlights include "the Secret Ocean", "When The Red King Comes" and the cover of Eno's "Needle in the camel's eye". Buy it now.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for Cooking, February 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: When the Red King Comes (Audio CD)

I found this album tedious at first, but had a sort of breakthrough listening while standing over the stove. Buy it, listen to it, and if all else fails, inhale a lot of steam. You won't be disappointed.