URL: http://www.elsewhere-band.com/
Elsewhere have been getting more attention than any other band in indie rock lately, and it’s for good reason. Over the years since their initial inception and subsequent era of dominance over the Boston punk scene, Elsewhere has grown and matured into one of the most accomplished rock bands in all of the American indie underground. I knew I was in for a treat when I picked up a copy of their latest release, a five song extended play titled Multi-Man, but I couldn’t have guessed I’d be listening to the most aggressive juggernaut of a pop record that I’ve heard in a long, long time.
When a band has been together for as many years as Elsewhere has, it’s easy to assume that the caliber of their production, songwriting and even performance is going to deteriorate and start to show a little wear and tear. That isn’t the case with these guys though. If anything, Multi-Man sees them sounding fresher and more full of life than a lot of younger bands that are just starting out in 2018 and have nothing but energy to expend when they get into the studio. This doesn’t sound like an aging group of rockers; this sounds like a band that is just now reaching its climax.
Another thing that a lot of us would expect in a record like Multi-Man would be the presence of a lot of old fashioned formulas and recording techniques. Again, this is an area where Elsewhere simply refuse to follow the trend. Multi-Man’s stylized harmonies and larger than life beats are totally rooted in the here and now, the present state of technologically advanced recording. The past is irrelevant to Elsewhere, and their dynamically refined sound is quite demonstrative of their commitment to their music’s future.
In the track “Codependency,” guitarist and vocalist Michael Aroian belts out verse after verse with more raw power than anyone else in the game right now, and frankly it’s inspiring to listen to. I mean here we have what could easily be a contender for the most exciting pop/rock track of the entire year, and it’s a song that was written, recorded and produced by veterans of this genre, not young punk kids looking to recapture some magic from the past. The irony is fascinating, but nothing could steal the attention away from the real star of the conversation; the music itself.
After listening to Multi-Man a number of times now, I can confirm that rock n’ roll fans have absolutely nothing to fear. No, your favorite genre is not dead; in fact, it’s being reborn in the most unexpected of ways. Elsewhere have kept the torch lit through all of the discord and chaos of the last few decades in pop music and have now got rock’s flame burning brighter and hotter than ever before. Check out Multi-Man and you’ll hear exactly what I mean. This is an exciting chapter in the history of rock n’ roll, and it’s nice to see one of its most passionate bands leaving their mark on its grand story.
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/1H9rZQG5hMGHXwksxEyXKp
Mindy McCall
