Elliott -- Song in the Air

8/10

Elliott's followup to False Cathedrals trades in a little bit of that album's power for beauty. Song in the Air still has aggressive, assured moments, though, and in a way, its beauty transmutes into a power all its own. What the heck am I talking about? Elliott is a rock band from Louisville, who burst onto the emo-dominant music scene in the early 00's with thought-provoking, emotional rock music for adults. Their previous album relied on bass-heavy, charging rhythms, but Song in the Air lives up to its title, often floating around in string and guitar-effects-laden skies (the strings are provided by Rachel's, a decent band in their own right). Vocalist, Chris Higdon, wisely takes a slight step back from the microphone, giving the instruments more room to breathe. Song in the Air shares the same small flaw as its predecessor, though. It's a little too much for one listen. Track three, the overwhelming "Believe," would close out a lot of albums, not precede seven more tracks.

Still, if an album has to have a flaw, I'd rather feel it's too much to take in one listen, as opposed to feeling ripped off. Song in the Air is good, solid, timeless rock music, just like everything else Elliott did at the start of the 21st Century.

2003 Revelation Records
1. Land and Water 5:37
2. Carry On 3:53
3. Believe 3:41
4. Beijing (Too Many People) 7:24
5. Drag Like Pull 6:00
6. Bleed in Breathe Out 4:46
7. Song in the Air 3:05
8. Away We Drift 6:06
9. Blue Storm 5:51
10. Genea 2:52