The aptly titled
A Dream in Sound is
Elf Power's creative breakthrough -- inventively produced by the great
Dave Fridmann, the record is a great leap forward from the previous
When the Red King Comes, boasting a bright, majestic sheen (the richest to grace an Elephant 6 release to date) that illuminates the striking pop melodies once buried below the group's fuzz-drenched surface. Although song titles like "High Atop the Silver Branches" and "Simon (The Bird with the Candy Bar Head)" serve notice that
the Elves' psychedelic tendencies are still in full bloom, there's a new emotional complexity behind the songs as well --
Andrew Rieger's high, plaintive vocals lend a strange poignancy to his surreal narratives, and tracks like the lovely "Jane" possess genuine sweetness and warmth. A major addition to the E6 canon,
A Dream in Sound pushes
Elf Power to the label's front lines alongside
Olivia Tremor Control and
Neutral Milk Hotel -- lofty company indeed.