Artist: Elevators
Label: Celinka
Released: 2008
Running time: 55:21
Rating: 4.5/5
Slovenian jazz rock fusion has always been strong and convincing. Since forever. But a Slovenian band rooted in rock hasn’t sounded this cheeky, optimistic and positive, I’d even say goofy, in a long time, the way Elevators do. True, their second record came out back in 2008 and a review of »Elevators« is hardly timely – but better now that we at the RockLine editorial office finally got our hands on a copy than never. And this year, 2012, the live album »Izštekani« dropped too. We’ll probably get to that one in another four years or so.
Elevators are, you could say, a kind of supergroup by Slovenian standards, made up of four top-notch musicians. Keyboardist Davor Klarič, whom many of you know from Šank Rock, Siddharta’s bass man Jani Hace, Sergej Ranđelovič (too many collaborations to count) on drums, and his Jararaja bandmate and the newcomer to the lineup, guitarist Robi Pikl (on stage with Manouche, Magnifico, Neisha, Jadranka Juras, Drago Ivanuša, Janez Dovč and in the studio with Jan Plestenjak, Andrej Šifrer, Nina Badrič,..). The album »Elevators« shows off the new Elevators in an even higher display of the all-round versatility of musical intellect and genius, constantly challenged. The dynamite isn’t running out, and in the seven years since the debut »Elevator Music« the ideas have piled up aplenty.
Despite a decade of existence, Elevators’ albums come along slowly. It looked different at first, when the debut »Elevator Music« came out right away in 2001, but then we waited a (too) long seven years for the follow-up. On that debut the band proved that its music carries huge potential for growth. After all, guest spots from Primož Grašič and Rok Golob aren’t something that just floats in on its own.
»Elevators« is the debut upgraded by a few levels, and in that sense it’s good we waited seven years for it. Robi Pikl’s arrival on guitar alone gives the band a springboard to vault toward a fresh musical transformation of its own brand of artistry. In the healthy development of art rock bands, everything usually rises or falls on the guitarists. Pikl is the textbook case of Elevators’ expressive leap to a new qualitative level, almost as important as Steve Howe joining Yes in 1970. When a band is together to have fun and freely string together the ideas that come to it, with no hang-ups about chasing trends or hankering after commercial success, then healthy growth upon the arrival of a talent as perceptive, versatile and brilliant as Robi Pikl is a perfectly logical, naturally triggered reaction.
The musical core of instrumental improvisation and carrying the basic phrases – motifs, keeps absolute priority over the occasional integration of vocals. The first track »Bob Miller« is a true jazz rock fusion treat with a progressive touch, and when Klarič kicks off the first solo, it’s clear that even a Derek Sherinian would be delighted with the kind of musical environment the track builds, if he were hunting for ideas for his own solo studio album. The band’s multilayered face is revealed next by the »funky retro seventies disco jazz foldaway« Prva Pomoč, where the band rescues the vocal situation brilliantly and offers up an album candidate for a hit single. Pikl steps up on vocals, and the others harmonize behind him masterfully in the backing vocals. In melodies like these it’s not hard to picture the signature voice of Janez Bončina Benč from the golden days of Slovenian »mainstream« (the seventies, eighties). What’s more. When you hear »Prva Pomoč«, you’ll outgrow the duo Da Phenomena in an instant, and start reaching for the ancient funk and fusion creations from Stevie Wonder to Herbie Hancock and so on… »Orao javi se« (a title for all fans of the Yugoslav squadron) reinforces the jazz rock fusion platform laid out in the album’s opening. »Hišni ljubimec« charmingly hangs out with Latin melodies and rhythms, and if Harry Belafonte were from Ajdovščina further on in the record, he’d compose in the style of »Skuoči, skuoči« – a brilliant burlesque, bursting with lucidity. Janez Dovč adds the seasoning on accordion to this utterly likable Elevators stew. Then there’s an exceptional jazz rock fusion gem like »Mladi metri« later on the album, which could easily have taken the opener’s spot, and on it, just as before the end with »White Apple Jam« and »A Freaky«, the band only deepens the note of the unpredictable, even spontaneous, chaining of events on this highly dynamic album. The closing track »Čedo ljubavi« brings in the vocals of Dan D’s Tomislav Jovanovič – Tokac, who with his dreamily sensitive voice adds a chanson feel to the funkoid engraving of the musical backdrop, calming the album down at the end. A neat combo! Tokac’s voice behaves quite differently in this setting than we’re used to from Dan D’s music. There’s a whole heap of little things here that tease and make your mouth water as you listen, and this album won’t let you breathe for a fraction of a second. »UFO Race« simulates a robotic voice with a special effect! The sound used for it might even come from a bass wah-wah, which Jani Hace may one day confirm or deny when he gives RockLine an interview.
And one more thing! Elevators are the very definition of quality, having set the bar of expression very high. The question is which band will reach or surpass it. This is a band that has it all. Polished art charisma, an extraordinary core of interpretation, a provocative offbeat quality. Everything they touch radiates a sense of perfection and strictly drawn-up perfectionism. Simple as that. There’s so much mileage and experience here, with the quartet shamelessly radiating musical talent, that Elevators obviously can’t miss. At the same time, the basic precondition is met. The working chemistry between the guys is exceptional, which means the right people are in the right places on the team.
In February 2012 Elevators released the new single »V aorto«. They effectively flagged their presence at a special concert – as the opening act for Keane, when a crowd of Slovenian mainstream showbiz folk paraded across the stage as part of the show (at the end of this October at Hala Tivoli). Let’s hope they get a new studio album out as soon as possible. Judging by what »Elevators« shows, we can expect even more of that brilliant provocativeness, which all you music enthusiasts with especially nitpicky, spoiled ears who demand only the best will feed on for a long time. By Slovenian standards Elevators are the definitive pinnacle of musical artistry, and Glenn Hughes would love to take them on a world tour as his backing band. He just needs to find out about them.
Lineup
Davor Klarič – keyboards, vocals
Sergej Ranđelović – RunJoe – drums, vocals
Robi Pikl – guitar, vocals
Jani Hace – bass, vocals
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Tomislav Jovanović – Tokac (Dan D) – vocals on track no. 12
Blaž Celarec (Brina, Fake orchestra, Caminoigra,…) – percussion on tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, 8
Janez Dovč (Jararaja) – accordion on track no. 5
Production
Elevators
Tracklist
1. Bob Miller
2. Prva pomoč
3. Orao javi se (Oj, sokole)
4. Hišni ljubimec
5. Skuoči, skuoči
6. I.E.
7. Smiles
8. Mladi metri
9. UFO Race
10. White Apple Jam
11. A Freaky
12. Čedo ljubavi
