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March 13, 2008

elephantbear: New band, familiar faces

Deck

By ROBIN CAUDELL

PLATTSBURGH -- elephantbear.

Think mp3 with extra band personnel.

When Tim Collins and Mike Pedersen tossed around names for their latest musical identity, Pedersen's childhood stuffed animals, an elephant called Elephant and a bear called Bear, became a beat up but youthful metaphor.

Since their talent-show debut at Stafford Middle School, the Plattsburgh natives have matured as musicians and men. But at their core is the irresistible idea of happiness and youth. Like Elephant. Like Bear.

GOOD SONGS

"Hide And Go Seek" is elephantbear's Leap Year release. It is Pedersen and Collins's first since their Puppet-Slinger release with Seth Folsom, who is now building acoustic instruments for the likes of Bela Fleck.

"It's been long overdue," Pedersen said.

"Michael and I have been playing music, like, forever," Collins said. "We had all these tunes. At some point, I was like, Man, we need to make a record because these are good songs. This has to be done.' We did it, and I'm happy with the result, and hopefully other people will be, too."

"Hide and Go Seek" was recorded last summer in New York City with special guests Matt Clohesy (electric bass), Brian Coogan (piano and organ), Matt Blostein (tenor sax), Ulrike Schmitz (violin), Chris Hoffman (cell), Simon Lott (drums), Matthias Bublath (keyboards), Jenny Cuasapaz and Denis Wong (girl talk), Tom Barber (trumpet) and Alex Jeun (trombone).

The live band came together after the CD with the exception of George Facteau, bassist, who shares writing credits.

"He's been a big part of the project although he wasn't able to come down and record with us," Pedersen said.

BREAK-UP SONGS

Elephantbear is: Pedersen (lead guitar and lead vocals), Facteau (bass), Jamie Durivage (guitar), Jay Lesage (keys and vocals) and Chris Shacklett (drums and vocals) when Collins is not available. Friday at Woodstock's, Ryan Trumball of Lucid will be guest drummer. Expect to hear bitter break-up songs like "Eternally Incomplete," an eternally danceable track written and arranged by Pedersen, Collins and Facteau.

"The term eternally incomplete is a metaphysical term," Pedersen said. "Even when you die and are reborn, you're never completely fulfilled. That gives you the desire to keep on going to each lifetime."

He wrote the CD's guitar-driven title track five years ago.

"Tim was involved in the arrangement," Pedersen said. "It's just basically about having a childhood crush and reflecting back."

NEW ORLEANS GROOVE

Facteau and Pedersen split writing credits for "Stronger Me," a mid-tempo love song about resiliency and reflection.

Collin's musical input slowed the former punk-rocked "Between the Lines," written by Pedersen.

"I kept listening to it," Collins said. "I love the song and the melody stuck with me. I was messing around with ideas, and I became obsessed with using strings in various settings because I love the sound. We had a number of pretty rhythmically driving songs. It thought it would be cool to pare this one down and set it acoustically and put some strings on it."

"He took it to the next level," Pedersen said.

"Make You Say Wow" is Pedersen's take on a New Orleans groove inspired by Lott, a displaced Crescent City drummer who just finished a tour with the Charlie Hunter Trio.

"He's a hell of a drummer," Pedersen said. "The song is laid back, a little sloppy."

"Green Canvas Box" is a bouncy, bitter break-up song penned and arranged by Pedersen and Facteau.

BUBLATH ON KEYS

"Dark Route," a dark, brooding vibraphone-laced instrumental, is all Collins.

"We thought it would be cool to have an instrumental tune on the record," he said. "It's a little bit strange compared to the rest of the tunes. But both Mike and I didn't really want to think about does this really fit? His songs have a certain feel. My songs have a certain feel. This is who we are."

The goal of the two is to let each song develop to its full musical potential.

"Some songs are great with guitar and vocals, but you can make them sound totally different with strings," Collins said. "We did that with Ghetto Barbie.' It's a great song. We get a lot of comments from that: Yeah man, I know how you feel.'

It's another bitter-break-up-a-different-girl song in two tracks, the original raw (Track 8) and a radio-friendly edit (Track 10).

"Improv at the Monopole." No other explanation is necessary except it features Bublath on keys.

"He's absolutely phenomenal," Pedersen said.

Elephantbear has a leg up with its Burlington-based music publisher, JPMC Music Inc. As a result, "Hide and Go Seek" is getting airplay in Australia and Germany.

"I'm really proud of the record," Collins said. "That we took the time doing it.

"We wanted to make it as good as we could within the means we had. I think we did a pretty good job at that."

E-mail Robin Caudell at:

rcaudell@pressrepublican.com

If you go
WHAT: Elephantbear, release of new CD "Hide and Go Seek."
WHEN: 10 p.m. Friday.
WHERE: Woodstock's, 89 Margaret St., Plattsburgh.
UPCOMING:
* Monday, 8 p.m., Olive Ridley's, 37 Court St., Plattsburgh.
* Thursdays in April, 11 p.m., Nectar's, 188 Main St., Burlington, Vt.
CD: "Hide and Go Seek" is available at Borders in Plattsburgh and Burlington.

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