Elephant Stone - “Going Underground”

Photo by Titouan Massé

Montreal-based neo-psych rockers Elephant Stone have just sent us the jangle-pop-infused “Going Underground.”

The tune begins with all the flair of late-1960s Rolling Stones, incorporating a bit of cowbell with a brief, honky tonk-imbued intro. The full band soon arrives, adding a marvelously thick, Entwhistle-esque bass line to the double-time beat. Across the top, a layer of guitars and keys round out the sound– it is a vibe that is immediately retro and we are suddenly longing for more of it.

The vocals have received the same vintage treatment, like opening a time-capsule to an era before everyone owned a microphone and DAW– back when every band had to actually claw their way into a recording studio. Layers of supporting vocals weave in and out of the arrangement, providing a wondrous serving of ebb and flow. 

Midpoint provides ear candy via a dynamic shift, shining a spotlight on what we believe to be a Rhodes. It’s delicious tones permeate throughout the track, offering an even larger dose of that luscious, classic sound. If you’re old enough to remember the ‘60s, “Going Underground” will take you right back there; for you youngsters, this will provide you with an authentic glance into the era’s rich production.

Of course, it would not be rock and roll without a guitar solo and, coming out of the bridge, that’s exactly what you’ll get. Without being overtly pretentious, your ears are fed a smorgasbord of blistering notes that, most likely, is a major highlight when this song explodes from a stage. From there, we get another batch of hooks before it’s time to press the play button again.

“Going Underground” comes from Elephant Stone’s new LP, Back Into The Dream, which is now available everywhere you stick music in your ears.

-HD