Search - George Elliott :: Unsolved Bliss-teries

Better than...

07/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I came to GE after Clapton, Winwood, et al and he is so much better. The secret is that he is so consistent throughout the phases of his career that are sampled on this album. Even the likes of EC and Bowie have dimples on their pimples, but it seems that GE just keeps on doing the same great stuff over and over. And like Van Morrison, he is less mainstream and therefore seems to not be inflicted with superstar ego ambitions. A career to start to be appreciated..."

The BigTakeover review

08/03/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"...Simple, cerebral pop is a lost art, but these 26 two-minute songs have a thinking-man's quality. They're unadorned ditties built around acoustic guitar twilling, drums and bass mixed so low you'd barely notice them, and keyboard flourishes. (And is that not a kazoo we hear in the background of "Mystery Song," and a recorder on "Unbeknownst'?) But it's Elliott's overpronounced vocals that makes UNSOLVED something other than the umpteenth home-recorded demos by the unimaginative. His spare words are curious, his cadences abrupt and full of odd personality, and his bent reminds of the late `70s, when genuine eccentrics were drawn to make quirky, unusual music that was called new wave, but was really only one step removed from Dr Demento's show-from early Devo and Talking Heads to an army of lesser-known such as Tin Huey, Pere Ubu, R Stevie Moore, Nash the Slash, the Residents, Mutants, Klaus Nomi, Units, etc. (The only thing they had in common were their unusual approaches and smarts.) Extra points for folksy covers of BUNNY WAILER'S "Dance Rock" and GRAM PARSONS AND CHRIS HILLMAN'S FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS' classic "Sin City"..."