White Thunder serves as an introduction to The Human Elephant (John Edward Donald); though some of these tracks have been previously released in digital format by Umor Rex Records, there are still some new songs to go along with the old, which in any case have been re-mastered for this release.
This is the first Longplayer by The Human Elephant as such, some of its finest songs have been chosen to lead the charge. There is a Joy Division cover here, which can be taken as a straightforward and sincere gesture from a man that owes a conscious debt and is keen to get it out of the way with a tribute, and then prove that he has, in fact, paved his own idiosyncratic path.
This album is made of contrasts and tensions. The most egregious one being John Edward Donald’s droll literary wit and deadpan delivery coupled against the warm and color-saturated music. Pensive irony and heartfelt rock and roll should not work well together. Yet The Human Elephant, a rare crossbreed, works within those lines. All songs have a ruthlessness of declaration harking simultaneously back to the belief and power of ideals of punk and the unplugged violence and confrontation of sixties folk. White Thunder showcases John’s ability as a songwriter and his work with various musicians and producers like Bernd Jestram (Tarwater) or Dirk Dresselhaus (Schneider ™). Some songs are striking from the get go while some start oblique and with their back to the audience, only to slowly turn their heads and win them over with a cunning smile. Some others are rather odd in their atypical catchiness. Folk, rockabilly, and post punk are present, too. You will probably ask yourself, “Now how come I hadn’t heard of this fellow?” Well, hopefully, you will now. A wise, noble beast like this one deserves to be heard.
This is the first Longplayer by The Human Elephant as such, some of its finest songs have been chosen to lead the charge. There is a Joy Division cover here, which can be taken as a straightforward and sincere gesture from a man that owes a conscious debt and is keen to get it out of the way with a tribute, and then prove that he has, in fact, paved his own idiosyncratic path.
This album is made of contrasts and tensions. The most egregious one being John Edward Donald’s droll literary wit and deadpan delivery coupled against the warm and color-saturated music. Pensive irony and heartfelt rock and roll should not work well together. Yet The Human Elephant, a rare crossbreed, works within those lines. All songs have a ruthlessness of declaration harking simultaneously back to the belief and power of ideals of punk and the unplugged violence and confrontation of sixties folk. White Thunder showcases John’s ability as a songwriter and his work with various musicians and producers like Bernd Jestram (Tarwater) or Dirk Dresselhaus (Schneider ™). Some songs are striking from the get go while some start oblique and with their back to the audience, only to slowly turn their heads and win them over with a cunning smile. Some others are rather odd in their atypical catchiness. Folk, rockabilly, and post punk are present, too. You will probably ask yourself, “Now how come I hadn’t heard of this fellow?” Well, hopefully, you will now. A wise, noble beast like this one deserves to be heard.
The Human Elephant: White Thunder
1726
The Human Elephant
2:51
The Star
The Human Elephant
3:36
One More Time
The Human Elephant
4:16
Happy And Sweet
The Human Elephant
2:33
Ausland
The Human Elephant
5:24
Terrorist
The Human Elephant
3:42
Ceremony
The Human Elephant
4:01
Sympathy
The Human Elephant
4:07
3 Pictures Of 3 Women
The Human Elephant
3:37
Somehow We Know
The Human Elephant
3:34
All Chorus, No Verse
The Human Elephant
5:07
You Deserve To Die
The Human Elephant
3:38
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