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Sound Check

7/10/2013

CD_Digipak_OutsideThe White Elephant

“The White Elephant”

Independent

Taking a page from Weezer’s playbook, The White Elephant has opted to self-title both of its albums thus far. Call this one “The White Album” (2011’s debut was black) or “The Fly Album” or whatever you wish, but don’t forget to call it good. The Wapello power trio has no misconceptions about what it does really well: three-chord roots rock like your daddy wooed your mother to. Opening track “Imperial Avenue” is as good, or better, than anything off its debut save “Travel By Boat” and is a thunderous introduction to the album. If the band has any harmartia, it’s one only of scope. Ax man Chris Rohr’s guitar work is solid (see “Supercollider” and “Locust Tree”), but no clear single stands out, and the album is nearly devoid of memorable hooks — “A Beautiful Flower” being a lone exception. CV

Check out The White Elephant at http://www.thewhiteelephantband.com.

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CD EditorsEditors

“The Weight of Your Love”

Play It Again Sam

As a kind of quick poll, I harassed three friends into each listening to a different track off of “The Weight of Your Love.” Interestingly, rather than giving it a “good” or “bad” analysis, each person reached for the song’s most obvious sound-alike. And whether that was Joy Division (“The Weight”) or Led Zeppelin (“Sugar”) or Interpol (“Formaldehyde”), the takeaway was the same: Editors were clearly trying to sound like someone. It’s not a bad album by any easily measurable stretch. When looked at as a whole, the album feels robust. But when pulled apart and listened to track by track, it feels rather ultra-crepidarian. Editors seem content with allowing the subtlety of its influences do all the work, and, as a result, the feeling you’ll most often take away from “The Weight of Your Love” is one of almost — but not quite — being able to name the song that each track reminds you of. CV

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