Nick Castro & The Young Elders
Come Into Our House

THE REVIEW

Very pleasant new folk ballads, some purely instrumental, others sung. After leaving Poison Tree, Nick Castro gathers in these Young Elders an excellent group of musicians from other bands. The music moves from Celtic atmospheres, which reminded me greatly of Planxty, to cowboy American folk, and even Asian sensations in "Voices From The Mountains", where it initially feels like being in a Tibetan monks' convent. Then, in "Standing On The Standing Stone", accompanied by a female voice, we return to the Western world with a wonderful folk ballad.

The arrangements are impeccable, always perfectly suited to the impression one aims to convey. The instrumental tracks, in my opinion, provide an even greater opportunity to traverse different worldly regions. This album is a tour through the diverse sounds of the planet, yet so uniform, despite the variety of instruments used.

Fascinating and not boring, varied and not repetitive, it is a project that could never have emerged before the new millennium, given the genre crossovers encountered. In the final two tracks, each thirteen minutes long, the transition goes from the psychedelic "Lay Down Your Arms" reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane, to "Promises Unbroken", which has a more modern flavor, offers a more electronic vibe, yet remains so closely aligned with the overall feel of the album that it suggests a meticulous high-level remixing of sound textures. Even the album cover's style aligns with this blend of past and future.