Review Summary: Re-submit
Elliot Minor – Elliot Minor
‘We need to see you jumping around and singing more!” Words from a band yet to release their first album. Still, even before the release of their first self-titled LP, Elliot Minor have cemented themselves as one of the most popular bands in the current British rock scene. Similar to bands such as Enter Shikari, Elliot Minor have gained popularity by releasing single after single for months before finishing the album, with little other material available other than maybe a dodgy version of a B-side somewhere on the internet. And, like Shikari, the band puts their own twist on an overcrowded genre – using their classical training to add something different to what is already solid pop-punk.
The album itself begins with a short piano piece, leading into vocals which are soon joined by some slow drums and bass, as well as violins. Chiodos? No. Don’t expect any high pitched wailing; the guy actually has a pretty good voice. It’s the Chinese dude that gets annoying. The vocal harmonies between the two can work really well as shown in debut single ‘Parallel Worlds’, and usually do, but the vocals can falter when he is left to sing on his own; the title track being a prime example.
The band, as musicians, is as strong as you will find in the genre. Lead singer/guitarist Alex Davies doesn’t pass up an opportunity to show off his talent, whether on guitar, violin or keyboards, playing against the solid backbone of secondary singer/rhythm guitarist Ed Minton and brothers Dan Hetherton and Ed Hetherton on drums and bass respectively. Dan especially, despite his often one dimensional beats, pulls off some impressive fills, such as in the single ‘The White One Is Evil’. Keyboardist Ali Paul helps to keep the bands individuality, often playing above the guitars to add another dimension to the band’s sound.
Another strength that the album has is that it is relatively consistent. Of course, there are weaker tracks scattered here and there, but no two are place one after another. The first half consists of singles, and the second half ending with what is possibly their finest work, the grand finale that is ‘Last Call To New York City’. Davies’ songwriting (he wrote the whole album) is impressive, faltering only at the lyrics, which fail beyond words.
Elliot Minor is an impressive debut from an impressive band. Mature beyond their years, one can only hope they can continue to grow and progress in the future (and hopefully get better live…)
PROS:
• Different from the crowd
• Good musicianship and lead vocals
• Songwriting is strong, multi-layered and consistent
CONS:
• There are some weaker songs
• Bad secondary vocals at times
• The lyrics are, at best, terrible
