by Craig Howieson
Silver is the latest single from Elephant In Red – the new moniker for songwriter Loup Havenith’s new fuller band-driven project. It is a tale of two halves, showcasing the road Havenith has travelled to date, while illuminating the broader horizons he is striving for.
The first three minutes of the track unwrap around arpeggiated guitars, lonesome drums and Havenith’s timeless, far away vocals. It is a beautiful start and immediately recalls the quiet immersion of his 2021 debut, big.
But things soon take a detour as the rug is pulled from you as the listener. Dark, brooding guitar lines, reminiscent of Jason Molina, pierce through the fabric of the track and it transforms into a backroom stomper of a song. The ghostly remnants of the earlier moments remain, but they are overcome with a new fearlessness, as Havenith drags his band from the shadows to the stage. A new camaraderie is slowly revealed, as thudding bass and driving drums capture a band in full flow, prodding the parameters of what comes next.
Silver is proof that whatever the name he is writing under, Havenith is a voice worth listening to.
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