It's a rare occurrence when one comes across an avant-garde album that is as accessible and easy to absorb as it is as abstract, quirky, eccentric, and left-of-center. But
Elfin Saddle
's
Ringing for the Begin Again
is such a rarity. This 2009 recording has an immediacy that one doesn't find with a lot of avant-garde discs;
, for all their abstraction and strangeness, pull the listener in immediately with their musicality and their appealing sense of groove.
is not an easy album to categorize; perhaps the best, most accurate description would be "avant-garde folk-rock with a strong world music influence."
Jordan McKenzie
and
Emi Honda
, the Canadian residents who comprise
, wear different hats; the long list of instruments on this CD includes the accordion, the xylophone, the ukulele, the banjo, the acoustic guitar, and various percussion instruments. The male/female duo shares the vocals;
Honda
(who is originally from Japan) sings in Japanese while
McKenzie
sings in English. And even though
gives
a lot of Asian appeal, there are plenty of European influences as well -- for example, the Celtic influence on
"Hammer Song"
and the East European gypsy influence on
"The Procession."
And much to
's credit, this excellent release sounds focused -- not random or thrown together. As many chances as
take, it's clear that they went into the studio with a game plan and a sense of purpose. If
's goal is to deliver albums that are boldly experimental yet very easy to get into on the first listen, they should consider
a major success. ~ Alex Henderson