Now disbanded, Elastica made quite a musical splash in the past ten years or so. The British band first formed in late 1992 with founding Suede member Justine Frischmann at the helm. Over the course of just two albums, Elastica managed to put together a loud, rambunctious, fast, and unrelenting sound that make for good reviews and relatively positive record sales.
Frischmann recruited guitarist Donna Matthews, drummer Justin Welsh, and bassist Annie Holland to complete Elastica’s earliest lineup. After releasing a number of singles (Stutter and Line Up included), the four then set out on recording an album, and the result was the band’s 1995 self-titled DGC debut. But just before the release, it was discovered that certain songs appeared to have been borrowed heavily upon. Songs Waking Up, Line Up, and most troublesome Connection all seemed to include non-credited riffs. After some time in the courts and a few settlements, Elastica was unleashed on the public.
Incredibly successful, the Elastica debut sold tons of copies in Britain and at the time was the most popular debut of any artist in England to date. And it was Connection that brought the band over the Atlantic to American masses. Whether or not listeners remember the song by name, they would certainly remember it in tune…it was that commercially successful. But fans would have to wait years for a follow-up to the uber-successful album.
After the departure of Holland and Matthews and instatement of Paul Jones (guitar), Dave Bush (keyboards), and Mew (keyboards) Elastica was back on a roll. In preparation for the release of The Menace, the band gave fans a 6-song EP. But it was with The Menace that fans FINALLY got the sophomore effort they had desired for so many years. And fortunately, it did live up to expectations (even if it didn’t produce a clear-cut hit like Connection).
On the surface, The Menace might seem a bit of a deviation from the band’s debut. While they sound the same with sharp, hooky tracks, Elastica’s tone has shifted from effervescent energy to darker, more thoughtful songs. Not to say that The Menace isn’t catchy…listeners will certainly find that the thirteen tracks deliver an entertaining punch. It is just that overall fans will have a few more things to think about once done munching on the songs. While I might not term this disc “brilliant,” it is somehow also easy to award it a much-earned five stars.
Without question, The Menace starts off with one of the strangest samples I’ve ever heard in my life. Mad Dog God Dam features what sounds like muffled barking dogs. But after a few seconds of extreme strangeness, the song breaks into exactly what listeners will home and expect. Frischmann’s vocals are full of attitude, kind of like Shirley Manson’s with more pent up aggression. The track whacks listeners over the head with bombastic drums and guitars mixed with just the right blend of modern electronica. It is impossible to imagine a more positive introduction to the album.
Generator is less a pop or electronica song than it is punk. Yes, you just read that right. Short, loud, relentless, and forceful the track is fun and free and the perfect break between two otherwise more straightforward rock songs. How He Wrote Elastica Man is an amazing song, something straight out of a movie soundtrack. While leaning toward the edges of rock normalcy, the song doesn’t alienate any rock listeners. Elastica seems to be able to blend many different kinds of rock into one well made, creative entity with one fantastic goal in mind…to entertain. And it works.
Image Change may not be as immediately impressive as many of the other tracks, it is slow and droning as building toward a climax, but it does still wrangle a great deal of emotion. The fact that it is such a different kind of song is at first disarming, but after hearing the delicate yet uneasy melody and Frischmann’s uncharacteristic vocal chanting listeners will get great joy out of it. On the other hand You Arse …My Place is exactly what fans will expect from Elastica. Just as loud and crazed as one would hope…
Slowing their pace and quieting their melody, Elastica comes back with the relatively introspective Human. While many of the songs are fun, set to a fast pace, and full of toe-tapping rhythms Human is something entirely different though not at all unworthy. Frischmann once again calms herself as she mutters:
I was only human
Of flesh and blood
I would relate to you
You know I could
The sing-song feel of Nothing Stays the Same may be at first a bit alarming. But don’t despair! Elastica still rocks out at the first given opportunity. But even though this song is worth hearing. Frischmann’s vocals are impeccable, the melody gorgeous, the understated instrumentation completely appropriate. The leanings toward pop or indie may seem strange to some listeners only expecting short neue punk songs, but just listen and realize that songs like this demonstrate a band’s wide range of emotion and ability. Much the same things apply to Miami Nice, though not supported vocally the song acts as little more than filler and represents the worst that The Menace has to offer (not that it is really that bad anyway).
Love Like Ours is a seamless, thumping rock track. While not quite as frantic as people will expect out of Elastica, the song is nonetheless worthwhile. Returning to their rock roots, the band picks up the pace on KB. A grinding, gripping song KB is rocked by heavy-duty drums and Frischmann’s yelping vocals.
A mild spoken-word of sort, My Sex is more reminiscent of Tori Amos than Shirley Manson this time around. It is a strange break from the rock and roll, but not a bad one. It is absorbing to come to realize the breadth of talent that Frischmann and Elastica possess. The Way I Like It is a gorgeous song, probably one of the most impeccably assembled of the album. The percussion and keyboards add great highlights to the melody while Frischmann’s voice comes across as ethereal and enchanting. The Menace is a great album, and this might just be one of the best songs.
Wrapping up, Elastica offers a cover of the Trio track Da Da Da. While the song is immediately recognizable by the programmed beats, the band adds dashes of their own attitude to the mix to create an absolutely original rendition of the song. Neither mechanical nor as fluffy feeling, this Da Da Da version finds Frischmann singing the words and chorus rather than chanting them. And the experimentation works.
The Menace is a great album from start to stop. It is the perfect follow-up to Elastica in that it shows that the band has a great deal of talent, that they are by no means one hit wonders (despite the stateside accusations), and that they have the ability to grow and change while still holding on to the elements that proved successful on the earlier album. The Menace is a great album, one that should probably be checked out before purchase but is worth full price anyway.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Mad Dog God Dam | 02. Generator | 03. How He Wrote Elastica Man | 04. Image Change | 05. Your Arse…My Place | 06. Human | 07. Nothing Stays the Same | 08. Miami Nice | 09. Love Like Ours | 10. KB | 11. My Sex | 12. The Way I Like It | 13. Da Da Da
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