Elk City - Above the Water (2022)

Some bands have that striped-sunlight sound; Elk City has that moon-reflecting-on-the-water sound. It’s always nighttime in Elk City, the same nighttime where Big Star liked to see the people, the same nighttime where, every so often, that ol’ killing moon comes too soon. Elk City's 2022 LP, Above the Water, is that particular stripe of evocative post-everything rock ‘n’ roll, exalted and earthy at once, reveling in the joy of experience. Because that’s exactly how these songs got written in the first place: The band jammed until they existed. Drummer/producer Ray Ketchem and vocalist/artist Renee LoBue have helmed Elk City since 2000, opening new chapters into their sound across 5 albums and 3 EPs. But with their 2022 LP, Above the Water, they’ve abandoned the script altogether, and that has everything to do with the group’s current lineup, which features guitarists Sean Eden (Luna) and Chris Robertson (Psychedelic Furs side project Feed), and bassist Richard Baluyut (Versus).