Music Reviews

“elk_adam”

Adam Elk

Labello

Dept. of Ways & Means

I’ll let the secret out – Adam Elk is really Adam Cohen, from the Mommyheads! Who?

The Mommyheads were one of those unfortunate bands to slip between the cracks. Enjoying talents greater than most bands cutting lines of coke on their platinum record, the Mommyheads released a set of brilliant records (the last on a major label, even), then promptly disappeared from sight.

Adam Elk’s distinguished voice stands out as always, easily identifiable for its swooping and clear tone. It’s a voice perfectly suited for the most ironic of lyrics, something Elk is also good at. The turning of the karmic wheel, the suspicious celebrity death, the lesson harshly learned and road rage all take turns, set to a variety of unidentifiable styles like loosely funkular blues tone or by-the-creek balladry, with Steely Dan’s level of attention to understated flourishes. A worthwhile distraction.

Dept. of Ways and Means, P.O. Box 424009, San Francisco, CA 94142-4009; dept@waysandmeans.com


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