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Apr 11, 2011 Erland & The Carnival By John Everhart

Originally founded by Simon Tong, ex of The Verve and Blur, with drummer/producer David Nock having spent time with both The Orb and The Cult, two of Erland & the Carnival’s principal members certainly possess a strong résumé. Add in the excellent singer/guitarist Erland Cooper and you have a band that transcends supergroup territory. After a self-titled, import only debut LP and Trouble in Mind, their U.S. debut EP, the band have expanded their stylistic palette considerably on Nightingale.

The record kicks off with the splintery guitars of “So Tired this Morning,” with Moog-ish percolations adding a Kraut-ish accoutrement. The cheap toy Casio keyboard intro of “Map of an Englishman,” gives way to a terrific, fuzz-bass laden pop number. And the eerie Morricone-like Spaghetti Western gallop of “Emmeline” harks to their folk infused earlier work.

The album closes with the spindly, Bert Jansch-esque “Nothing Can Remain,” with stray spikes of fiddle punctuating Cooper’s contrite admission, “Nothing can be the same.” And little is the same for Erland on this fine LP, the one that finds them transcending their wieldy influences, leaving us with a singular, terrific band.
(www.erlandandthecarnival.com)

Author rating: 6/10