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Boston stoner rock trio Elder return with an epic psychedelic rock opus, Dead Roots Stirring, jammed with cascading riffs, cosmic melody and spiraling sonic architecture. All of it delivered with much greater focus and swagger than their self-titled 2009 debut. The songs are long and the guitar solos themselves wander longer than most trendy indie bands’ singles. But you know what? Dead Roots Stirring, all 5 songs clocking in at a combined 51-minutes, passes more quickly than most buzz-band-of-the-week’s 5-song, 17-minute remix EPs.
Lyrics on Dead Roots Stirring are applied sparingly, which is too bad as singer Nick DiSalvo’s vocals have evolved nicely over the past two years. And the last couple of songs could have been a minute or two shorter, but these are minor complaints for an album that’s full of highlights. Throughout Dead Roots Stirring, Elder moves things along by shifting from tumbling riff-work and dizzying solos to desert-inspired acoustic breakdowns and guitar phrasing reminiscent of post-rock acts like Russian Circles and Mogwai. But Elder’s more rounded, organic temperament still owes its heaviest debt to deities like Tony Iommi and Dickie Peterson. Elder are taking small steps beyond their comfort zone, but combined with much tighter songwriting and focused jamming, Dead Roots Stirring is an excellent second step for this young group with an old name. |
 4 / 5 |
Elder – Dead Roots Stirring – album review
– 11/29/2011Posted in: 4 Stars, Album Reviews, Best New Albums, Featured, Metal
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