Elephino
'Elephino'
Self-released
Local folk septet Elephino is celebrating its new, self-titled sophomore album, which was released in May. Featuring a lively mix of various stringed roots instruments, harmonica, vocals, and drums, Elephino puts a modern punk-bluegrass twist on traditional folk music.
Vocalists Dani "Damnzel" and Tim Braley both sing with passionate, emotionally free-flowing vocal delivery. Enjoy an electrifying vocal duet in "Up Up" or the reeling vocal canon at the end of "Training Horses." "Barbara" features a languid fiddle solo, while "Man Feelings" features the banjo, and the 10-minute long journey of "Irish Coffee/About That" bookends with a ukulele melody. The band begins quietly and kick-switches into a driving finger-picky pulse in "Why Wait" and "This Little City," while accompanied by a crisp whistle melody in "Whistle Song." Whether dark or jovial, Elephino shares its defiantly upbeat messages about love and life through catchy Americana-folk melodies and war-like mantras, continually urging, faster and faster as they go.
Elephino will perform its CD release party with special guests Tyler Westcott, Moon Hollow, and The Dawn Timbers on Friday, August 23, 9 p.m. at Lux Bar, 666 South Avenue. $5. 232-9030. lux666.com.