Five years after the release of their last album, one might have almost forgotten about the LA–based band, The Elected. But this summer they’re back with a new album, Bury Me With My Rings, a throwback rendezvous to the circles of indie music that the band once aspired to run in.
The record is invigorated with testaments to the talent that persuaded Blake Sennett (former lead guitarist and songwriter for Riley Kiley) to give the band another go after a half–decade hiatus. Tracks like “Babyface” are strong, borrowing from the best sounds of the late 70’s, with lyrics like “she said love, only love/ could make us do the things we do.” The beat of “When I’m Gone,” coupled with Sennett’s high vocals is equally well–executed .
The diversity portrayed in Bury Me With My Rings is pleasantly surprising, though it often oversteps the bounds of cohesiveness. The album seems motley, especially so for a band who never really managed to take off. Furthermore, though The Elected demonstrates an ability to adopt tried–and–true sounds successfully, it does less to distinguish itself as something novel in the already crowded indie sphere. The album excels in a derivative respect, but it sometimes verges on monotony, on songs like “Have You Been Cheated.”
Despite its shortcomings, Bury Me With My Rings is easy on the ears — the right soundtrack, perhaps, for this summer’s dog day afternoons.
3/5 stars
The Elected Bury Me With My Rings Sounds like: Traditional indie Good for: Lazy days, tired minds 99–cent download: “Babyface"
The Elected will be playing at Johnny Brenda’s tomorrow, June 24, 9 p.m., 21 +
