Kris Ellestad streams new album, No Man is Land

Posted by Mark Teo in Culture
Post Hero Image

In what's already being dubbed one of the best of '10 by Halifax music blog Herohill, Kris Ellestad is streaming No Man is Land for the month of November on his Bandcamp page. And while its perhaps presumptuous to call it one of the best of the year — fervent listmakers take note, there aren't any formal release details yet, and it may see the pressing plant next spring — it could very well one of the best of '11. Listen, we'll talk this time next year.

Pinpointing a sound, at this point, is difficult, as Ellestad has a range that will likely require plenty of time to digest. But here, an exercise in futility: "Run Me Down" is a rickety piano-driven waltz that recalls the spookiness of, say, Taylor Kirk (though Timber Timbre probably couldn't pull of accordion this well); "Moon in the Trees"'s sparse arrangements place a focus on its immediately memorable, harmonized howl; elsewhere, the hard-strummed "In the Meantime" is an upbeat offering, with its call-and-response "fuck you"s showcasing Ellestad's sunnier edges.

Indeed, No Man is Land displays Ellestad's songwriting flexibility; despite its song-to-song mood swings, the album never feels scatterbrained. And that's what Herohill got right: This could very have some staying power. Again, stream the album via his Bandcamp page. Or Last.fm, if you'd prefer. Grab the free downloads of his 2008 EP, Hibernation, and 2006's Third Person, too.

 


more in Music Features     |     posted Nov 4th, 2010 at 10:01am     

Comments: 2

Jesse L wrote:

Heard this album for the first time a few days ago, and have to say Herohill definitely got it right - it's jaw-droppingly good. Kris has been Calgary's best kept secret for far too long, but I think No Man is Land might finally change that...

on Nov 4th, 2010 at 12:08pm Report Abuse

Mark_Teo wrote:

Agreed. I'll be honest, I haven't spent much time with his previous work, but this isn't just good in a city-specific context. It's good period, and I suspect that it's going to get better the more I listen to it (without laying on too much gushy hyperbole).

on Nov 4th, 2010 at 1:44pm Report Abuse


Post comment: (Login or Register)


All Content Copyright © Fast Forward Weekly 1995-2012

About Us Contact Us Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Use