Elliott
U.S. Songs
[Revelation]
Rating: 5.7
Those of you familiar my self-indulgent style may expect me to write this review in
the voice of E.T. "Elliott! Elliott! Phone home about this album!" But I won't do
that. This review won't be a fake phone conversation. I can't think of any fantasy
sex episodes to spice up this review. I won't do a take- off from the homonynic
similarities of the words "Emo" and "Elmo." I'm pretty bored. I blame my creative
block to the thoroughly manilla new album from Elliott.
To someone who's never listened to emo-core, this is a good album. By all means,
it's tight, moody, melodic, rockin'... with quiet "pretty" moments. But those who
do listen to emo most likely own about six albums exactly like this by now. The
songs are indistinguishable and blend together like margarine. Bit ands pieces
bring to mind other albums and songs, but I can't quite remember which ones. A
bit of Quicksand here... A tad of Samiam there... A pinch of Texas Is The Reason
just then...
Like any niche- marketed product, if you fit the demographic, you'll cuddle it
in your arms. It's like this: you Christians out there, think of those cardboard-
flavored hosts you have to eat during communion. If you have faith and buy into
Christianity, you get some sort of fullfilment from the "bread." If you're Jewish
or Muslim you just taste a piece of stale cardboard with the aftertaste of glue.
Therefore, if you think emo-core is a red Muppet (there I go) you'll find Elliott
nice and tradeable; the rest of us will already have realized the record is four
years too late. Sure, every sub-genre needs a crossover breakout album to take a
step forward after the market has been saturated. But U.S. Songs just spins
the wheels and wears the tread dangerously close to flat.
-Brent DiCrescenzo