Elk City - 'New Belivers'

A band’s first single should, in addition to being kickass, never be the strongest track on said band’s album. It’s kind of a bass ackwards logic to not start off with one’s biggest asset, but bear with me. By introducing itself with its strongest volley, a band sets listeners up for disappointment once they buy the LP or EP. They’ve heard the best, now they get the rest, and that’s… not so great. Sadly, such is the case for Elk City and its latest release, New Believers.

While by no means a “bad” record, New Believers suffers for the sins of its makers. The album’s lead single, and opening track, is “Cherries in the Snow.” Peppy, poppy, and ever so sugary, “Cherries in the Snow” is exactly like the orchestral indie pop Camera Obscura showcased last year on Let’s Get Out of This Country [NOTE: This ran in 2007], that The Smiths displayed during their excellent ’80s run, that David Bowie and Neil Diamond pioneered so very long ago. Complete with catchy arrangements, “Cherries in the Snow” is the strongest and quickest track New Believers has to offer. And that kind of sucks.

Everything that follows “Cherries in the Snow” is far tamer by comparison. While tracks like “Silver Lawyers” and “You Got Me” have their own indie-pop-meets-showtunes charm, they don’t quite ignite interest like that introductory cut. They’re just decent, although there are some other standouts. The mellow acoustic guitar and handclaps in “Little Brother” are cute, and frontman Renée LoBue’s smoky, sultry voice imbues the song with a beautiful soul. The dirty pseudo-psychadelia of “White Walls” is another solid track, but also a depressing reminder that this album could be so much more.

Next time around, Elk City could go two routes – write more up tempo numbers like “Cherries in the Snow,” or pursue the fuzzy classic rock that LoBue’s voice could easily lead. She’s got a strong, memorable set of vocal cords. It’s a shame that she’s trying to chill out like Feist when she could blow up like Janis Joplin.