Forty Elephant Gang
Album: Slow Down The Days
Label: Hit Ray
Tracks: 4
Website: http://www.fortyelephantgang.com

It's not often you can say that the postman has dropped forty elephants through your door.

Yesterday was one such day as the mail brought "Slow Down The Days", the debut EP from East London band Forty Elephant Gang . In an impressive start, the band has already seen the release reach number 54 in iTunes UK singer/songwriter chart.

Forty Elephant Gang comprise of Andrew White (Guitar & vocals), Sean Mannion (Mandolin), James Bachmann (Bass & backing vocals) and Jack Heaslip (Banjo) and their music spans genres such as Americana, Folk and Rock, fused seamlessly into a commercial pop based sound. It's works very well.

From their opener "Joan Of Arc" fast strumming strings set the scene before soaring vocals and catchy choruses try to claim the song for their own. A battle fought with the urgency of the strings and the compelling softness of the bass. It's song writing of the highest order.

"In this Place" tells a tale of days going nowhere in the criminal heart of London and it's folk . Whilst "Tell Lies" is all about exaggerations, untruths , fantastic stories and coming clean. Wrapped up in a Sixties Bealtlesque feel and a finger picking banjo. It's impossible to ignore comparisons with the likes of Mumford & Sons but to suggest that F.E.G. are mere copyists would be unfair and unjust.

To end we have an anthemaic riff packed, hand clapping rocker in "Hand Out Your Pockets" it's like listening to Hayseed Dixie on a good day. A fitting end to an impressive EP., it makes you want to catch them live. Soon.

It's not often you can say Forty Elephant 's drop through your door, on this outing that's a shame.

Ian Cripps