The Elected
Me First

THE REVIEW

There are artists and musical bands that can be discovered by chance, without ever having the possibility to listen to them. Well, this is my case, with regards to this Los Angeles-based quartet, California.

Blake Sennet is the voice, guitar, and songwriter of the group, Jason Boesel is the drummer, Daniel Brummel on bass, Mike Bloom the other guitar. Numerous other collaborators handle the Lap Steel, harmonica, and various electronics. I was very pleased with this discovery, being a fan of Mojave 3, Cake, Beta Band, and so on. "Me First" is a bright expanse of country pop songs entangled with folk units. This Blake Sennet is truly brilliant.

'The Elected' succeeds in the purpose of pleasantly surprising the listener, infusing the parched and scorched land of the West Coast with continuous inventions. An example can be found in "Time for emily", with dialogues of harmonica and string instruments in the style of Mojave 3's 'Excuses for Travellers', to cite similarities. "Greetings in braille" flows radiant and smiling, deserving to be listened to in a car during a trip on route 66. "Don't get your hopes up": drum rolls, keyboards, sax solo and mandolins, southern and gypsy moods where an oscillating and ecstatic little voice abandons itself and melts. A listen with closed eyes wandering with the mind. The dizzying pathos of gold seekers of "My baby's a dick" lists scattered geniuses, always able to alter and puzzle. This track follows Greetings in braille and seems designed to not distract the listener from the previous smiling arpeggios. Yes, because this album gives you a smile.

You could take a 3000 km journey listening to 'The Elected' without realizing you've arrived at your destination. I can simply say that here we are faced with pure entertainment art, distinct sentimentalism in voice, guitar, violins, and subsequent sonorities.

Well, what can I say, having discovered this group purely by chance, and then having also purchased the following work 'Sun Sun Sun', I can consider myself on a continuous journey, kilometers and kilometers, in the company of a good beer and some trusty friends in search of unexplored expanses.