aaamusic | On 15, Aug 2011

‘Elephant Room’ is the debut single from five-piece indie band Channel Cairo. Like all British indie bands post-2001 there is still a hint of 90’s britpop that hangs around them. The vocals are reminiscent of the ghostly moan of Thom Yorke and the music of a latter day Supergrass or even Gene (remember them?)

There is a great mix of bittersweet harmonies that run through the track with it use of minor piano chords, arpeggiated guitar riffs and a skipping drum beat that all give way for the rousing grouped vocals that are either sung or chanted.

This mix of intertwining piano and guitar with en masse vocals and lyrics of ‘It’s alright now’ that make it difficult not to be swept up in it all.

The use of chanted and en masse vocals is something that has been used by many acts for many years to create some kind of emotional response in the audience without the need to have any meaningful words behind them to create a hyperemotional atmosphere. This is a trap that they could have easily of fallen into but it remains slightly understated in its approach which has the converse effect of making it more emotional.

Considering that ‘Elephant Room’ has been constructed from the discarded pieces of other tracks it shows a band that a clear ability to make fabulously moving music.

What’s makes this song so appealing is there is a clear sense that they have set out to write a good pop song rather than focus on imitated the past or a genre. And I can safely say they have succeeded in making a great pop song guaranteed to be on repeat.

 

Author: Barry Gray