When people tell me all folk music sounds the same, I just want to slap them. Elijah and the Moon is the kind of folk music that show the wide variety of sounds that can be considered for the genre. Sounding like the hope of a generation, Elijah and the Moon harnesses an inspirational and anthemic group melody that makes me want to join the ranks of the movement… even if I may not even be sure of who they are or where they are going. That collective power for action is what Elijah and the Moon seem to embody throughout the album. Whoever they are, listeners seem to want a little more.
I’m going to keep this review short and not talk about every song on this album, simply because these guys are in the process of writing a new album. But I feel like most of us missed this awesome album last year and we at least should mention it before the new one comes out. From awesome folk harmonies to impressive reggae-inspired improvs, this album has pretty much everything the discerning music fan might want to hear.
“So take me to the ocean shore… leave me wanting more… never gonna grow old.” It’s almost punk rock in its anthemic value at times, but the lyrics of Elijah and the Moon can be just as important and “folksy” at times as well. What I love about this album is that theses guys have the remarkable ability of capturing a wide variety of emotions. For example, the soft vocals balanced with strings on “Build These Walls” reveal a pop folk band wise beyond its years. This track could find itself right beside the Lumineers or Mumford and Sons without much of an issue. For a relatively small bandcamp release to pack such a powerful punch, it shows the remarkable and stunning potential of Elijah and the Moon.
For the band’s most “folk” sound look no further than the title track “As Tall as the Sun.” It’s an incredible infusion of strings, harmonies and just plain good songwriting. The collective “ohhhhh” vocals don’t look like much to write them out, but really make the song. The lyric, “the price I pay for living these ways” is just about as “folk” as a lyric can get. It’s like Woody could have written it himself. This is a song of the year candidate. It’s that simple.
“Lovers on the Dancefloor” and “Where We Go” are both a bit more aggressive than the folksy appeal of “As Tall.” All told this is an interesting album that deserves mention here. More than anything it shows the incredible potential of Elijah Wolf-Christensen as a songwriter. I, for one, would like to hear more along the lines of “As Tall as the Sun” in terms of song construct and overall message. That said, this initial foray into creating music is impressive. There are a lot of accomplished, long time musicians not putting out this quality of music. It will be a delight to follow this band as it continues to find its identity and the message he/they wish to send. Fans of punk/indie rock/folk infusion will enjoy the entire album, but most readers of this blog will agree with me to enjoy “As Tall as the Sun” more than the other tracks on the album.
