The Black Magic Show [ENHANCED]

Elefant

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 18, 2006)
• Original Release Date: April 18, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Kemado
• ASIN: B000ERU8J2
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,788 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Elefant frontman Diego Garcia leveraged a privileged upbringing to indulge his taste in Bowie and the '80s UK Ian Curtis/Robert Smith/Morrisey pantheon via his workhorse NYC-based club band. The three years of heavy touring that followed their well received Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid debut has toughened up Elefant's sonic hide considerably on this follow-up, offering an intriguing atmospheric backdrop for Garcia's lyrical postures. Those literary (the title track and single "Lolita" reference Russian classics) and cinematic (the Black Orpheus-rooted "Brasil") allusions balance nimbly between intellectual ambition and artistic pretense, powered by a solid pop craftsmanship beneath their moody textures and driving beats. Fused with the album's unusual creative genesis (most of the songs were written in Garcia's ancestral Argentina home), those sensibilities imparts an inviting exoticism that stretches from the predictable cabaret angst of "Sirens" and upbeat "Uh Oh Hello" to more challenging hybrids like "The Clown" and "Why." Garcia and company wear their '80s influences proudly throughout, yet bring enough fresh ideas to the mix to avoid being mere slaves to precious retro-fashion. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Evocative Rock/Pop, April 19, 2006

By	James Fisher (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

I listened to this through a friend who works in a radio statio a couple of weeks ago. Not being familiar with their previous record, I listened without comparisons and liked it a lot. It's derrivative of the 80s and many of the bands that exploded in the 2000s like The Strokes and Interpol, but the lyrics here are considerably more sentimental and the sound is very accessible. It maintains a remarkable balance. It rocks hard enough to keep a genre fan happy and yet it does not alienate those who enjoy catchy melodies.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I like it, June 10, 2006

By	alexander laurence (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This is the glamorous New York band. This is their second album. They provided some relief from the seriousness of bands like Interpol. Their first album was an interesting foray in pop rock music. The center of the group is Diego Garcia, the man, the myth. The second album seems more focused and more whole. It's not just a collection of songs that some guy wrote when he was young. There is more experience and shape in the sounds. There are some stand out tracks like "Lolita" and "Uh Oh Hello." Their sound is explored more in "The Clown." Some of the complicated rhythms give a new texture to the band's new sound. "Uh Oh Hello" is a slight tip of the hat to The Who. There was a Britpop vibe on the first album. Elefant has seemed to become more it's own thing. A more Latin style is displayed in "Brasil." There is a cool mix of rock and electronic sounds. No wonder Ed Buller is involved (Pulp, Suede). I am looking at some of the pictures in the booklet and the press, and there are a bunch ofpictures of the band leering, like they have some secret knowledge about life. Elefant is a type a band that should succeed.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Follow-up, January 31, 2007

By	Jason P. Leenaarts "AudioNut" (Goose Creek, SC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I wasn't sure Elefant could pull off a better sophomore release, but I was really impressed with this. They added more attitude and less Robert Smith influence and just tore into a really solid disc. It helped that they opened up for the BRMC for this tour. Really good tunes live as well.