Album Review

Captive State – Elmore Grove EP

• 25th Aug 2008

Captive State; Elmore Grove EP (01/09/08,)

Journey pop and wistful folk conjoiners Tom Bootle and Joseph Kennedy use a deft, ambient seeping, left field leaning backing touch to take their 8 strong troupe on a journey of reflection. With each of the four songs weighing in at over the four minute mark, care is taken to build up the mood.

No better example of this can be found in the horn starting and trickling piano ending ‘China White Doll’, merging the impact of Four Tet, Mercury Rev and Camera Obscura. It gives this epic ebb and flow and a skipping melody, oozing the calmness of a pan-pipe tune.

Mum styled low-key tinkering, ‘Weatherman’ samples in chilling sounds akin to the sort of result Leonard Cohen would produce should he attempt human beat-boxing. ‘Lost’, filters in some down-tempo funk and a splash of soul that mingles in with the stretching pop vocals and soothing “aaahhh, aaahhh” femme backing.

This is an inoffensive and quite explorative prelude to next year’s debut album. Every year the Mercury Music Prize short-list contains an act like this, it’d be no surprise to see this expansive outfit on it this time next year. However, as we all well know a year is a long time in music.

Catch Captive State live;

4 Sep 2008 19:00 Single Launch @ The Flea Pit w/ special guest Broadcast 2000 London

13 Sep 2008 20:00 Antic Banquet Norfolk

28 Sep 2008 20:00 Captive State Radio Show on ’Purple’ Worldwide

12 Oct 2008 19:00 Captive State Residency @ The Belvedere Tavern London

26 Oct 2008 21:00 Captive State Radio Show on ’Purple’Worldwide

9 Nov 2008 19:00 Captive State Residency @ The Belvedere Tavern London

30 Nov 2008 21:00 Captive State Radio Show on ’Purple’Worldwide

14 Dec 2008 19:00 Captive State Residency @ The Belvedere Tavern London