Artist: Elston Majeska

Single: The Beautiful Girl That Left Home EP

Released: 29^th July 02

Label: Star Harbour

I don’t know whether to believe the story that accompanies this copy of the bizarrely named artist’s EP. I won’t bother you with it, but it sure does make this most probably fictional character, Elston Majeska, very mysterious. Star Harbour/Shifty Disco does tend to offer us some peculiar artists and I get the feeling this will be no exception.

I’m half-right. The opening track ‘Piano Times’ shudders and shakes with distorted vocals but with the childlike piano and steady drumming in the background hold it together. It’s more Flaming Lips than anything else, that experimental edge is present within this song. Then it all changes…almost. The second track ‘The List’ changes directions somewhat and offers us a large chunk of 70’s psychedelic-pop. It’s fairly standard stuff, it would pass as a White Stripes B-side for example, but it’s more interesting than that. The closing song ‘Sending Waves To Manhattan’ is a more basic affair. However, ‘basic’ for Mr.Elston Majeska doesn’t really mean much. It has more in common with the opener ‘Piano Times’, the vocals are similar, but the tune is much improved. Some delicate synths and handclap effects are what I like and Elston offers them in large quantities. This song at its peak is near perfect pop, but it drags at over six-minutes long, but who’s complaining…apart from me.

Not as strange as I’ve possibly made out, but it’s unusual that’s for sure. Hints of The Flaming Lips and The Magnetic Fields at times, as well as a bit of The Doors perhaps. There are lots of instruments making an array of noises, but it’s all held together very well and doesn’t get confusing. One criticism though is that it is a bit forgettable and you get the impression that there’s something lacking. I do look forward to see where Elston Majeska goes from here with their next release, what it’ll sound like nobody knows…probably not even Elston Majeska.

8/10, Richard Collings