Photo by Phil Duggan
Globally, we have a lot of things that divide us but everyone in every corner of the world is plagued by the universal existential dread that things are getting worse. That the American dream or African dream or Uk dream is becoming increasingly harder to reach and that the wealth in every country is relegated to the few and that the systems put in place by politicians (at the behest of those few) are stacked in favor of that few and not the many. Not to mention the monsters of the world that fabricate bogeymen so they can take over their neighboring country. And we see it all on our phones and are so powerless to do anything that we numb ourselves with the opiates of the masses, a million stupid tik tok / instagram videos we scroll through like monkeys going insane.
All these cheery truths bubbled in my mind when I listened to "So Much So Few" by the Irish alt rock band Elbé. The song cuts creatively with urgent sounds, punchy drums pushing against your chest with rhythmic tom tom beats, heavy bass downbeats, screaming guitar, droning supportive synths and songwriter Seamus Allen's brooding vox. I appreciate the big sounds that give way to post punkian grooves. There is an evocative dynamism here creating spaces in between the fray that make the eruptions feel even more explosive if not for the quiet that came before.
Politico songs don't make change but they inspire change. The band's press notey stuff talks about the song's focus:[Locally, people are challenged daily by the housing crisis, increased cost of living and a collapsing healthcare system whilst being inundated with news on wars, a refugee crisis and the real consequences of climate change. The song focuses on the role of the wealthiest individuals in the world, and how their greed contributes to these issues.
Elbé wrote this song in hope that a more sustainable and fair way of life will be accessible for us and future generations.]
-Robb Donker Curtius
https://www.facebook.com/elbe.music.cork
https://soundcloud.com/elbeband
https://twitter.com/Elbemusic
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQsdTqUxopwdv3ZNZmisKWQ
https://elbeofficialmusic.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/elbeband/
elbé is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Seamus Allen and the perfect vehicle for his indie songs that are blended with folk, traditional music and pop elements.
Nora Frederich's intuitive, groove-based drumming and Kieran Fitzgerald’s melodic and nifty bass lines make up a strong rhythm section. Emily Naughton is a vastly experienced keys player; her creative melodies dance in and out, adding colour to the songs.
Songwriter Seamus Allen takes inspiration from real life experiences and day-to-day events he witnesses in his life. In an attempt to make these relatable and give meaning to the listener, he describes events in a metaphorical and poetic way.
Elbé released their debut EP “Contours” in May 2019. Since then the band has played gigs around Ireland and worked with local producer and engineer Christian Best (Mick Flannery, O Emperor, Paddy Dennehy). The band will be releasing their EP “Sonder” at the end of October this year and have plenty more songs ready for next year!
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Elbé, indie rock, alt rock, folk indie, divergent rock, jagged guitars, sideways sounds, politico, "So Much So Few", Ireland, songwriter Seamus Allen,
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