Electrelane - Rock It to the Moon (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

Electrelane - 'Rock It To The Moon' (Mr.Lady)

Mike Reed | USA | 01/25/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Coming to you straight out of Brighton,UK.'Rock It...' is the all-female electronic/Avant Garde band's first release,as they have one other that came out as it's follow-up.The gals were supposed to play a pub in my area fairly recent,but the gig was apparently cancelled.If this CD is any indication,they should be decent to see live.Tracks that I thought carried some weight were "Gabriel"(nice keyboard work),"Blue Stranggler",the krautrock-ish "Long Dark" and "U.O.R.".Line-up:Mia Clarke-guitar,Rachel Dalley-bass,Verity Susman-keyboards and Emma Gaze-drums.Might appeal to fans of Sonic Youth,Stereolab,PJ Harvey and KaitO.A very decent find."

Hardly groundbreaking, but worth a listen.

skytwo | Boston | 04/13/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This insturmental British quartet seems largely known for the number of bands to which they've been compared. I think the comparisons are a little overblown, but the album more than anything resembles a slightly unfinished work. Without vocals (there are some small exceptions here and there), the group just doesn't really manage to carve out its own niche. It lacks a unique sound that lets you know that you're definitely NOT listening to something by another group.All told, if you enjoy the samples, you'll probably enjoy the album in its entirety. While consistent, it's a real mishmash of electronic, punk, and occasionally ambient sounds with a little bit of vocal harmonizing here and there. Not exactly upbeat, not exactly downbeat. It's a little bit of everything without standing out from the crowd-- which makes it difficult to give Electrelane's debut a higher rating."

Rockin' indeed

Keir H. Fogarty | fort collins, colorado United States | 06/16/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"so I read the other review, and mostly agree with what was said, I think comparisons to Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emporer! are a bit of a stretch---this band resembles early Stereolab much more than either of the two previously mentioned bands--its a hard rocking interplay of rhythmic guitar groove, feedback-laced good times--a great background, rocking type of album--wear it jogging, listen to it in the car on a road-trip--you won't be humming catchy riffs per se, but you will tap your foot in time and love the energy--its got that feedback lounge type of feel that makes one think that the girls grew up listening to Stan Getz just as much as the Velvet Underground--Bridgette Bardot followed by Sonic Youth--Esquivel with equal parts Ramones--well...you get the idea"

Pretty cool

Ken Foree | 08/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"All in all I liked the album, although the other reviews were correct in that it does not do much to be unique.

Actually, I was surprised to hear riffs lifted directly from other bands, like Hot Butter, and even Devo. So if you're into that kinda stuff, I would suggest you check this one out."

Snapshot of a band in development

Laurence Upton | Wilts, UK | 10/26/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Formed in Brighton in 1998, this feminist avant rock four-piece set up their own record label with backing from Sony a couple of years ago. A young band, guitarist Mia Clarke was still preparing for her A-levels during the recording of this debut album. They had already put out a couple of singles on In Denial and Fierce Panda, one of which, Film Music, turns up in re-recorded form both here and on an EP which includes remixes by Echoboy, Treva Whateva and Jagz Kooner, and is where I first heard the band. Approved by The Wire, they were written up in issue 208 and tracks by them show up on Wiretapper 8 and Wiretapper 9 cover disc CDs.

Although they use modern production techniques and equipment, mixing with ProTools, the overall sound is quite retro because of their love of Farfisa organ and analogue instruments, and is predominantly instrumental despite the occasional vocal phrase emerging through the mix. Long Dark reminds one of nothing so much as Syd-era Pink Floyd, elsewhere the twangy surf guitar is redolent of Duane Eddy. However, their experimental approach and use of digital samplers puts them squarely in the twenty-first century. The music is energetic and enthusiastic and bursts out of the speakers in a long and inventive 65 minute rush, anchored by the Krautrock drumming from Emma Gaze and Rachel Dalley's relentless bass lines.

One can pinpoint their overall sound at this point quite accurately. Create a hyperbolic graph of the Pink Floyd's sonic soundscape from their first album onwards and extrapolate forwards and backwards. Find the point 4.7 months prior to Piper At The Gates of Dawn, and there you are. This moment is probably as fleeting in Electrelane's existence as it was in the Pink Floyd's, and will be interesting to see what twists and turns their music will take them to.

A barking dog on the opening track is subverted into a sly Stooges reference. One track, Blue Straggler, features an exquisite string section, arranged by founder member and chief musician Verity Susman. Other tracks evoke boats, carnival rides, church services and film soundtracks, all on one giddy sonic trip. This album, recorded over 4 weeks in September and October 2000, catches this ever-evolving band at a particular and special point in their uncharted trajectory"

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