Album Review (Local): Elsinore - PUSH/PULL

Artist: Elsinore

Album: PUSH/PULLRelease Date: October 15, 2013Next Tuesday, October 15, brings us more than just the week-iversary of the release of Miley Cyrus’s (incomparable) Bangerz. It brings us PUSH/PULL, Elsinore’s third album to date, on which, Champaign-based Elsinore gives us a diabetic’s answer to indie-pop: the good stuff but sugar-free and much better for your bicuspids.Producer Beau Sorenson, who’s previously worked with the likes of Death Cab for Cutie and Bob Mould, helped the band give their already above-par sound a new polish and a vaguely retro vibe with horns and strings, adding a nice flair to tracks like “The Thermostat, The Telephone,” “Sinister Sister,” and “Residential Weather.” A touch of jazz/blues works its way into the mix, too, even for just a moment or two, really complimenting the endearing breed of melancholy Elsinore does so well. In particular, “Fatal Flaw” features surprisingly and delightfully jazz-infused vocals. And piano? Piano sneaks its way into more than one track as a sadness instigator. You’ve never been so happy to be so bummed.In essence, PUSH/PULL does what Yes Yes Yes did, but does it one better, smoothing out rough edges and elaborating where elaboration was missing. “The Art of Pulling” probably stands as the album’s catchiest track, and “Fatal Flaw” comes in a close second. However, the significant album slow down, starting with the mellower “Sinister Sister” and continuing all the way through “Evens,” creates a nice ebb and flow (push/pull?) between the more upbeat tracks and the decidedly “chiller” ones. Notably, “Evens” does simple and does it just right, featuring whistling and the mental picture of a rom-com montage (when the relationship goes sour and everyone finds themselves sad and alone). That’s where “Evens” really belongs (in your sad little heart and in a sad little movie).Rating (by pizza size):10″ (small pie)12″ (medium pie)14″ (large pie)16″ (X-large pie)18″ (Really big pizza)