Walking with the Beggar Boys

Musically, the band is all over the map this time, going from sleazy T Rex rockers to psychedelic electronica and blown-out Southern boogie romps ("Never Believe" even features a duet with folk/rock legend Vic Chesnutt). Lyrically, the band foregoes the abstract supernatural imagery of their past releases for a more straightforward lyrical approach, with songs about the effects of advertising in modern America, love songs and even strange, autobiographical stories about meeting up with a gang of beggar children in Warsaw. Elf Power's finest moment is here, so listen up!


With a decade under their belts, the sixth album by the Athens, Georgia-based band Elf Power marks a bit of a change and expansion in their sound. With new members on board (Eric Harris formerly with Olivia Tremor Control, and Craig McQuiston from the Glands), the quintet moves easily from straight ahead, if slightly-fractured rockers, to fine slices of cerebral sonics. The title track, with guest Vic Chesnutt on hand for duet vocals, sounds as rooted in southern Americana as R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" (a band with whom they've toured, besides sharing a hometown). Elsewhere, "Evil Eye" chugs along like a more rural T. Rex, and "The Cracks" revels in mechanized rhythm tracks and eerily nostalgic synth runs. Throughout, they never lose track of their vital core interplay, celebrating the fine little engine that they are at all times. That the range of Elf Power is so broad comes as little surprise, given their past approaches, as well as their previous affiliations (muti-instrumentalist Laura Carter was a member of Neutral Milk Hotel). --David Greenberger