"Caught in the Headlights," Absent Elk
Yet another case of a YouTube sensation making it big, British rock/pop band Absent Elk released their debut album, "Caught in the Headlights," on Sunday, Oct. 18 in the United Kingdom. They are best known for their acoustic pop covers posted on YouTube of the all-female group Girls Aloud's song "The Loving Kind," Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" and "All That She Wants" by Ace of Base.
The band officially formed in late 2008 and have experienced whirlwind success that is rarely seen or heard. In that time, they have toured with popular British groups The Script and Keane, both of which have received commercial success in the United States. Perhaps the most influential tour in their climb to success was when they opened for Girls Aloud, whose fans first took notice because of their cover of "The Loving Kind."
In mere months, Absent Elk have gained a strong fan base, headlined a tour and written, recorded and released a debut album with more success than even they could have likely anticipated.
While "Caught in the Headlights" is not as sensational as was expected from a band known for its innovation, the album simply shines when considering how quickly it was produced. The cover art of a snowy terrain illuminated by the Northern Lights shining overhead suggests a chilling musical experience to go along with it. Contrarily, the tracks are warm, inviting and friendly.
Even quirkier than the band's name is its musical styling. "Caught in the Headlights" alternates from bouncy and energetic on one track to brooding and dramatic on the next. The first half of the album is weighted slightly by seemingly repetitious melodies, saved only by the ardent opening track, "Sun and Water," the band's first single.
The second half, however, brightens and diversifies, beginning with the light and easy-to-dance-to "Cannibals." The only true slow song on the album is "Comfort or Amuse," with melodramatic lyrics accompanied by frontman Kjetil Morland's perfectly hallow singing and a sole acoustic guitar. The album closes with a bonus track, titled "Bleeding Ink." This song is possibly one of the best on the album because of its effortless transition from simplistic verses and melodies to a swollen and complex chorus. The lyrics never touch on anything too profound, which allows the instrumentation to shine on this track.
As of yet, Absent Elk has received little to no recognition in the United States. They remain strictly, and presumably proudly, a solely British band. While the album is still, and likely will remain, unavailable in CD form in the United States, U.S. fans can download "Caught in the Headlights" from iTunes or Absent Elk's Web site, www.absentelk.com.
*Published in 2009 Issue 7 of The Globe
http://www.pointparkglobe.com/2.7417/rockin-reviews-1.1039941
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