Eldren is arguably the “buzziest” band in Denver right now – an amazing accomplishment considering they played their first show less than 9 months ago. But, their brand of psychedlic rock pop music and theatrical performances are picking up new and loyal followers at every turn. That’s not to suggest that Eldren came out of nowhere. At the center of the group is the songwriting team of Nasir Malik and Tyler Imbrogno. Malik honed his singer/songwriter/guitarist chops with Denver bands Falls Ruin and Death Hickey Blues (alongside singer/songwriter Sam Lee and current Eldren violinist/guitarist Josh Lee) before meeting Tyler Imbrogno in the Summer of 2010. Prior to that, Imbrogno was busy writing and performing in Dayton, Ohio – evidence of which can be found on MySpace and clearly foreshadows the musical style from which Eldren’s music would be born.
Eldren I was released in June 2011 and Eldren II just two months later. Each EP features four tracks – many of which are mini-suites within themselves. The music deftly combines the eclectic and spacey weirdness of The Flaming Lips with the keyboard-driven pop sensibilities and vocal harmonies of Supertramp. Eldren I’s opening track “Sunrise Spectacular” is as intensifying and bombastic as any Styx opener between The Grand Illusion and Paradise Theater, while its closing track “On The Fence” finds Eldren at the height of their Flaming Lips worship, with a rhythm guitar part that is immediately evocative of “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 1”. Eldren II ‘s “Best Friends” is good enough to be on MGMT’s last album, and “Space Day” is a Syd Barrett inspired trip through the cosmos that takes a brief pit stop through Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California”.
This isn’t to suggest that Eldren is derivative. They are talented enough as composers and musicians that it feels more like homage than grand theft. Their compositions are as unique and diverse as the band members themselves (currently rounded out by bassist Steve Holloway, drummer Rick Walker, and flutist/vocalist Susie Renee Quinn), who deliver confident performances that belie their short time together. When a song kicks into high gear, it’s as glorious as any performance by more experienced bands – Arcade Fire comes to mind – largely due to the wide array of instruments and vocalists Eldren has at their disposal.
Eldren’s lyrics mainly focus on innocence, love, hope, and friendship. Eldren I’s “Oh My God” takes the listener on a quiet journey of self-awareness, where the thoughts of a boy and a girl seamlessly flow from the mundane (the length of your hair) to the serious (life and death) and ultimately find solace in the idea of growing old together. The lyric “Look at your face/It’s so hairy/Your name should be Larry/Hairy Larry” is a representative example of the child-like wonderment that runs through many of their songs.
By all indications, the best is yet to come. The band has a romping song in regular rotation at live shows called “Cabaret” which sounds like an entire Broadway musical performed over a span of five-and-a-half minutes. Word on the street is that “Cabaret” is part of another set of songs that the band is readying for release. A source close to the band described Malik and Imbrogno as being totally in sync during the process of writing new material, and that they know how to bring out the best in each other. The collaboration has already yielded so much in so little time. “Where do we go from here?” – I’m anxious to find out.
Eldren’s music can currently be downloaded free from their website at http://www.eldrenmusic.com, and you can find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EldrenMusic.
Everyday (in the Mile High) 