Canadian psychedelic raga band Elephant Stone keep it closer to home on their new album ASHA, a mixed bag of politically charged rockers, soul-searching love songs and dealing with the suicide of Christian Dorey, a friend of band leader Rishi Dhir. He was looking for a way to bottle his anger (Fascists Killed Yer Rock 'n' Roll, I Got A Pill) and counting his blessings (A Beautiful Fate) in one big swoop. That could have led to a directionless mess - biting off more than he could chew - but it all comes together with the hope that everything will work out some how.
While its predecessor Back Into The Dream found the band expanding their musical palette, they have returned to their dreamy melodies with a hint of progressive rock. Parallel And Contrary Motion, named after one of Rishi's daughter piano instruction books, is the centrepiece of the album. Being torn apart by emotions it downed on him that it was about his friend's decision to take his own life. Horrible as that might be, it made him rethink and respect that choice.
ASHA is released via Elephants On Parade/Little Cloud Records (vinyl, CD, digital). Buy it (vinyl, digital) from their website.
Tracks:- Here Comes The Rising Sun
- Everything Evil
- Fascists Killed Yer Rock 'n' Roll
- I Got A Pill
- Broken Arrow
- A Beautiful Fate
- Parallel And Contrary Motion
- Sleepwalking In Prague
- Spirit, Take Me Away (feat. Amy Millan)
- 09/15 Burlington, VT @ Foam Brewers
- 09/16 Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
- 09/17 Troy, NY @ No Fun
- 09/18 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
- 09/19 Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
- 09/20 State College, PA @ Manny's
- 09/22 Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village
- 09/23 Detroit, MI @ Outer Limits
- 09/24 Toronto, ON @ Collective Arts
- 10/01 Montreal, QC @ Bar le Ritz
- 11/02 Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
- 11/03 Breda, Netherlands @ Mezz
- 11/04 Paris, France @ Le Chinois
- 11/06 Ravenna, Italy @ Bronson
- 11/07 Colle Val D'Elsa, Italy @ Sonar
- 11/11 Zurich, Switzerland @ TBA
- 11/12 Bern, Switzerland @ Kulturbistro
- 11/16 London, UK @ MOTH Club
- 11/17 Leeds, UK @ Hide Park Book Club
- 11/20 Portsmouth, UK @ KOLA basement
- 11/21 Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique
HCTF review of Back Into The Dream
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