Customer Reviews

Elephant Shoe

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sometimes the best music takes a lot of listens before you get it, other times, it just floors you. The first track on this album, Cherubs, did the latter for me.

It has a strong, communicative pulse that makes you feel like you are travelling with the sound. The music arises slowly, but the beat pounds like a dancefloor. I can listen to this track over and over again. It's addictive, in a good way.

The album is worth buying for this song alone. Believe me. There are other good songs also, but few have the same strength. Arab Strap sometimes festers too long in slow songs that don't do too much. Yet, they do help function to create an overall feel to the album that is very thick and will definitely stick with you.

Arab Strap is a bit trip-hop, but the music and vocals have more of a rock tinge (usually trip-hop vocals and backgrounds rely on jazz patterns). The beats are very deep, analog electronic. Bare, but strong. They don't have the complexity or interesting timings of Aphex Twin or anything like that, but their sound plays a key role in creating an audio imagry that is unique, interesting, and enjoyable.

Another good band that has played with some of the same concepts is The Notwist (Neon Golden). If you don't have this, I'd buy it before Elephant Shoe, but eventually, I'd get both. Also, at the advice of another review, I've begun downloading Mediafriend (http://homepage.mac.com/cplayer/FileSharing3.html) this also mixes rock and electronic music, but they seem to tend more toward the electronics. Do they sell albums? I didn't understand the website. The Postal Service might appeal to you too. It seems like this may be a powerfully new, emerging style of music. It's a shame that there is no scene. All the bands are disjointed, arriving at the same musical conclusions without building off the accomplishments of other bands doing similar things (I wonder sometimes if they are even aware of each other).

Anyway, it seems that mixing cold electronic beat with guitar and vocals produces an unexpected, pleasing result that has me rethinking a lot about music in general. Listen to these bands and tell other people about them.

I loved Philophobia, I still do and have never gotten bored of it. Elephant Shoe on the other hand just didn't do it. There are good tracks on this album but not any that I would single out and play individually as I did with Philophobia. While Aidan's lyrics and singing are still very good, they haven't changed much either. Maybe part of the reason Philophobia was so enjoyable was the novelty of it all. But, here we go, much of the same bitter banter. Also, I didn't find this album as musically captivating. A good, not great album.

arab strap's 'elephant shoe' album is now and has been criminally underrated, both by the press and impatient listeners (including some strap fans!)

following the release of their finest collection of songs in the form of the 'cherubs' EP, arab strap came at us with something extremely subtle, haunting, clever, diverse, and ultimately head and shoulders above most "rock" music made today...

'philophobia' was also compelling in its bleakness and so-subtle-it's-damn-near-silent aesthetic, and this album's songs are equally varied and successful at cultivating the strap's ideas...these wounded, gruff, selfish, tender, candidly honest, humorous scottish boys have managed another LP filled with tracks that display all those qualities and more...

arab strap are often criticized for being in an artistic rut, playing out the same tired, slo-fi depressing tunes ad nauseum...these critics have missed the boat entirely...the strap is actually feverishly (and endlessly) creative within the boundaries (yes, all good art should have boundries!) of their style...

don't believe me? think i'm a tried and true fan in denial? take a listen to "trippy", "pro(your)-life", "drinking eye", "motown answers" and "hey! fever" consecutively, and then try and pose an argument that arab strap are boring, or that they are in a creative rut...it's nonsense...

'elephant shoe' is subtle enough to bear out repeated listenings...from the clubbed-up yet scarily intimate "cherubs", to the melancholy duet "pyjamas" (christ, we feel as if we're lying in the bed between aidan and adele!) through to the final four tracks, which scream variety and different emotions in spite of what you may hear from naysayers:

"aries the ram" is a blunt, frightening, bleak, and also touching duet (again with adele bethel)

"the drinking eye" glides along on dubbed-out murmurs and near-silent blips and echoes, while aidan gives up yet more of himself for the music

"pro(your)-life" is the sweetest thing the strap have done, a perfectly elegant, tender, and gorgeous no-frills song matching aidan's quiet reassurances to his girl with malcom's ringing guitar

finally, "hello daylight" goes in yet another direction, ending the album abruptly on an odd note of loss and hope, with the usual keen eye for detail in aidan's lyrics...

again, this is more expert music from one of the most uncompromising acts in music today...it's some of the most "human" music being made currently...if you, like me, are a fan of any style of music as long as it is honest, original and well-executed, then by all means go get yerself some strap.

While not as impressive or varied as their previous record 'philiphobia', Elephant Shoe still has its own distinct charm. It comes on like a Joy Division record made by the producers of Trainspotting and as such its morbid tone will undoubtedly put a lot of listeners off. While on first listen it may just sound overly depressing, careful listening will reveal the subtle beauty beneath the ugliness. Some British journalists have described Arab Strap and this album in particular as music to top yourself by, they obviously musn't have listened to the album's standout track tanned; lyrics that could well have been a great short story augmented by a beautiful trumpet solo and hypnotic guitar. This isn't a perfect album by any means but its good moments make it well worth repeated listens.

Well, the first week I had this album I loved it. Every minute of it's sad lyrics and slurred melodies. And then it hit me: what a boring record. I mean how many times can you moan and complain about your past girl friends screwing you over. I mean a couple times, sure, but a full length CD? I think not. This is for the depressed and lonely. So if you qualify, knock your socks off, otherwise: STEER CLEAR!

Well, I loved this album the day i bought it. And i liked trying to get into it the week after. But now i look back on my purchase and regret it, tremendously. The songs that once caught my attention are now the ones i skip over to the next track. It's a decent album, but it dies out quick.

"Elephant Shoe" is an amazing amazing album. It's especially best late at night or in the morning, but just as great anytime. Like "Philophobia" moreso than "Week never starts round Here" in the fact that it incorporates electronic sounds with beautiful trainspotting-esque vocals that you will fall in love with. But I think it is better than both of them...put together, maybe! It's a sad, but yet comforting and highly pretty record. But mostly its just very very good and I hate myself for not buying the import sooner. Domestic releases are always too late.

excellent music for pleasantly sulking. beautiful melodies, very dark and moody. sharp mechanic beats against acoustic architecture.