Just recently dug into the new ELEL EP and it’s got one very strong thing going for it – fun. The band name is fun to say, the album title is fun to type out and the music within is upbeat, fun and infectious in the good ways.Â
I always enjoyed the songwriting prowess of Ben Elkins but found the later works of his previous band, Heypenny, to go too far into the realm of gimmick and repetition. It was never bad, it just wasn’t for me.
ELEL seems to tone it down just the right amount. There’s plenty of energy and I can still foresee a marching band taking this to the streets of any city causing a parade of enthusiasm but it doesn’t feel manic. Granted, it’s all a matter of personal taste but ELEL feels a bit more reflective and grown up while maintaining its ability to incite a good time.