Elliot Minor

Elliot Minor

Written by: PP on 14/07/2008 03:27:04

Classically trained vocalists aren\'t usually found outside the gothic genres, where the normally female singers reach operatic heights with their fragile, delicate voices to forge a dramatic atmosphere to the music. Meet Elliot Minor, the incredibly hyped pop-rock act from York, UK, who have already landed four top40 singles in the charts, most of these long before the release of their self-titled debut album.

What do the two topics have to do with each other? I\'m glad you asked. You see, Elliot Minor are selling boatloads of records due to their unusual specialty, the feature that all band members have been classically trained in composition, instrumentals as well as vocals. The end result? Something that could easily pass as \'symphonic pop rock\' if I were name-drop relevant genres here. And the classical education shines through their songwriting especially on singles that have already proven a success on the charts. Take \"The White One Is Evil\", for instance, where classical piano complements a dramatically orchestrated rock platform, with violins and other string instruments supplementing where necessary. The vocals sound like someone had their balls cut off when they were 12, but somehow they are able to come across as strong, powerful, and more importantly, engaging. Because lets be honest here, if it wasn\'t for the classical vocals that stand out as much as white from black in their otherwise mainstream pop rock sound, these guys wouldn\'t be where they are now, even if some songs suggest otherwise. \"Parallel Worlds\" and \"Still Figuring Out\" are both great examples of where the instrumentals finally match the vocals, and I\'m guessing the high-octane power-pop rhythm helps the cause infinitely much as well; At least if you compare them to the generic pop rock (adding a few seconds of violin here and there doesn\'t count) of songs like \"The Liar Is You\" or, frankly, almost any other song on the album.

This is a great shame, because when the tempo is high and the guitars have enough drive to pass as pop punk, their sound is catchy enough to turn even the most stubborn head their way. \"Jessica\", another single, is another brilliant example of this, and it leaves this reviewer wondering why on earth the rest of the album is filled with stupid ballads that couldn\'t keep you awake even after five cans of relentless. With the risk of sounding like one of those underground elitists, I\'m just gonna blame the major label for this, because the \"couple of singles boys, rest filler\" formula shines through the record a little too often.

Download: Parallel Worlds, Still Figuring Out
For the fans of: Boys Like Girls, McFly
Listen: Myspace

Release date 14.04.2008
Warner Bros

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