Elf Power - Walking with the Beggar Boys (Orange Twin, 2004)

Elf Power
Walking with the Beggar Boys
Orange Twin
2004

Rating: 6 panhandling dwarfs out of 10

In what seems to be their seventh proper album (along with god knows how many EPs, compilations, whatever), Elf Power bring you “Walking with the Beggar Boys”, an album that manages to sound instantly recognizable as their work and yet have a number of odd influences and quirks that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to hear out of these erstwhile Elephant 6’ers. Most notably, this record is much more of a straight-forward rock record than the silly songs that populate the band’s past; at times it sounds like it could be a Snow Patrol record as much as an Elf Power one. Still, it’s a good listen, with a great 1-2 punch out of the songs “Walking with the Beggar Boys” and “Drawing Flies”. This album may be a disappointment to some die hard fans, but I think most folks will easily realize it’s still a great record, even if there’s no mention of serpents or leopards or birds with candy bar heads.