Elvendrums - Comments we've received

Comments about our show:
(unsolicited fan mail)

"I have seen Elvendrums perform on several occasions in a couple of locations; and, I have loved every second. In fact the first time I saw you play I got separated from the rest of my party because I couldn't pull my attention away."
Marcus

"I just heard you guys for the first time at Heartland "99" and I must say that Elvendrums blew me away!!!" "…in my personal opinion your performance was the high point of the festival!!! We just cant stop singing and drumming on tables, thank you very much!!!"
Eriu

"All hail Elvendrums! The music is without successor in its genre. I love it, and to have seen you live and in person, makes it all the much more enjoyable. Thank you for such wonderful sounds."
Gerald

"To anyone who hasn't been blessed with an Elvendrums performance, get to one as soon as you can! They really are quite magical!"
Lydia

"I was treated at Heartland to a front row seat at your show and have to tell you it was absolutely incredible."
Gianna

"Of thanks and appreciation for your wonderfully magickal performance Sunday at Heartland KC. We cannot seem to stop listening to your CD!! Hope we do not wear it out!!" "Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!"
Stormy

"Para bailar la bamba, para bailar la bamba all you need is a couple of Elves and Fairies and..The Party is on... "
Naty

"I absolutely enjoyed your performances at the St. Louis Renfair. I hope you continue to return to it and I can't wait to hear another new CD."
Steve

"You elves are awesome. I love to listen to you all play."
Tamara

"Your show was the highlight of my trip to the Renaissance Festival."
Ken

Other Reviews and Comments

"They were awesome for sure. Combining African rhythms, folk music, Elf imagery withincredible light and a very diverse show, they captured the crowd and never let them go.Utilizing dramatic themes and capturing visuals this act was very special to us all. Expect to hear much more from this act in the years to come. Good people and great energy.

Witches Voice Fritz Jung (Heartland 98 review)

"I swooned at Velvet Hammer and cried when Elvendrums did their magnificent show. It was one of those perfect moments in time. Elvendrums has an excellent CD out, too."
"I begged to be a lower minion elf. Correct that - still groveling. They have a ritual song entitled 1-1-1 on their new Dragon CD that is, okay, let me gush, to die for. "

Silver Ravenwolf (Heartland 99)

"Tir nAn Og makes me bawl my eyes out every time, Rhymer sends me hopping around the room, Mask scolds me for a bunch of wasted years... and 1-1-1 just... words are no good, you'd just have to see my face. Walking in the Woods turns me into a hyper-active 4 year old, The Dragon makes me applaud and think at the same time, and ElvenDrums song and Solindas will get me in shape to do a tri-atholon at this rate of dancing. Coolavin is an earth-shaking story, I've always loved The Stolen Child, set to music it attains perfection, and The Witches' Ball has me craving a party. "

"…thank you a hundred thousand times over and then some for singing this, playing this, and sharing it. You all are exactly what I was looking for, just what I needed." "The only word I can think of to describe the music is 'Home.'"

Sionan

"On the whole, the drumming had a Latin-African feel to it, which added a new dimension to the otherwise Celtic feel of the music, and I certainly could not keep from drumming along on any available surface. Definitely a refreshing and welcome change from the vast majority of the music that gets regular radio airplay. Elvendrums are a unique band that simply cannot be duplicated or recreated, cloned or replicated, in any form that would be as meaningful as the original."

Bill

"I've played it almost daily since I received it and am probably going to wear it out. To sum it up in one word: perfect. Absolutely perfect. Brilliant! Fabulous! Remarkable." "Solindas is my favourite track. I have been looking for music like that for years. That kind of belly-dancing-esque/dramatic/sensual/mysterious/passionate etc. music that matches the kind of dancing I have wanted to do for years. I finally have music to help immerse me in that atmosphere."

Rahna

What others are saying

"I love your music. I was listening to it with my friends one day and I'm hooked!!!!! I always heard that elves and faeries have the best taste in music, and now I know that it is true!!!"

Moonfire

"I've been well and truely enchanted by The Dragon; even when I'm not playing it I have snippets of the songs running through my mind."

Morgan

"I must say I love the ENTIRE cd which is saying a-LOT cause my darling & I have about 400 cds!! (we have lots of friends in the business & so are we!) But I will definately reccomend (is that spelled right?) you lot to all of my friends."

Jackie & Deryn

"It seems you have traveled far down the path of creative genius my friends. I find the piece "1-1-1" to be particularly hypnotic, and you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to type and drum at the same time!!!"

Shadowbear

"Your CD is like faerie drugs - highly addictive, prone to cause unpredictable flights of fancy, uncontrollable toe tapping, and distinctive facial changes such as ear-to-ear grins and twinkling and gleaming of the eyes. Wheeeeee! "

Maevyn

"Gods, the music you're doing is just gorgeous! I heard the faeries playing once, a couple of years ago, and what you're playing sounds more like them than any other music I've heard."

Kira

"I've only had the CD for a couple of hours and have fallen in love with ALL of the songs on the album…" "Keep up the GREAT work!"

Leahnnan

"When I got the CD of course I ran to play it right away. I turned it on and turned around to see my fourteen month old son dancing spontaneously for the first time ever! Now he always dances when I play it. Sometimes he dances to other music, but always to yours."

Kristilee

"I wanted you all to know how much pleasure it gives me to play the CD and hear your wonderful music. I play it over and over at home, then take it with me to play in my vehicle to and from work."

Morningstar

"Thanks for making the wonderful music you do. Our culture would lack so much without music like yours. "

Vaeridione

Professional Reviews

"Rich, resonant vocals do justice to the eloquent lyrics." ...
"The results are - what else? - enchanting." ...
"Much fun." ...
"Overall, this is one of my all-time favorite albums, something I'll play frequently forever." ...
" Most highly recommended."

July 1999, Spicy Green Iguana E-zine,
by Elizabeth Barrette

"I enjoy this CD very much." ... "The songs are playful as well as serious. Their shows are lively and a lot of fun. Ask your local festival organizers to invite them, or try to get to a gathering where they will be performing. Also highly recommended."

Green Egg Magazine March-April 2000, by Urth Lover

"With a name like Elvendrums, I expected drumming to be the focus of this debut CD. Instead it's more like the foundation for a wonderfully enchanting experience. The Dragon showcases many different styles of songs, showing both the range of the drummers and the lyric writing/singing."
"Elvendrums is a quartet of drummers who can pluck your heartstrings with their voice and stir your imagination with their lyrics."
"At first glance several songs catch your attention with their catchy rhythms and chorus. A closer listen reveals a more sophisticated phrasing and insightful lyrics. The band makes the most out of the three lead singers, highlighting each one's strengths."
"The quartet blends many different sounds and styles to sing their songs, tell their stories for the listener's delight. I highly recommend this CD and was happily surprised at the level of professionalism and musical expertise this group displays."

Rambles, A Cultural Arts Magazine November 1999 Paula Ashton

(This review appeared July 1999 in Spicy Green Iguana E-zine)

Music Review from Hypatia's Hoard
By Elizabeth Barrette

All reviews are based on a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being Best.
***** (5 stars - Superlative in all regards; run out and spend your lunch money on this one).

The Dragon
By Elvendrums

Elvendrums
P.O. Box 195751 Jefferson City, MO 65110-5751
Or Elvendrums@aol.com or http://members.aol.com/elvendrums Note: This was waaay back before we got our domain name. - Nerethel
1999 U.S. $15.00 CD, total playing time 44:56
No company number given.

This fabulous album contains a blend of filk, folk, and Pagan songs touching on many different themes. The musical style can reasonably be described as 'AfroCeltic' and yes, the percussion is the driving force. Here at home I cranked the volume up all the way and stood in front of the speakers; I can't wait to catch this group live someday. Think of this stuff as high-octane brain fuel … I've been using it to keep me going while I do housework, and that's just about the highest compliment I can pay regarding energy level. Featured instruments include ashiko, conga, hand cymbals, chimes, bongos, guitar, Native American drum, rattles, djembe, bodhran, Viola da Gamba, and hurdy gurdy. Rich, resonant vocals do justice to the eloquent lyrics. Commentary on specific tracks follows.

"Rhymer" - I like the concepts that weave through this one, running towards things and far away from things, and the question of whether one has gone far enough or not … or entirely too far.

"Walking in the Woods" - As much fun as it is recorded, I suspect the true appeal of this one only comes out in the live performance. It's also the first of the dead-giveaway songs in terms of elven/fey motifs. Listening to it leaves one with the impression that the band members are … not entirely human. Given my own fey nature, that of course makes it a favorite. But heck, I love the whole album. These folks have a wonderful knack for capturing the mood of a performance and putting it into a recorded album, which is pretty difficult to do; they got a lot of subtle nuances in there, the feel of being surrounded by elves and magic and mystery. They capture the Faery reality-tunnel very well. The results are - what else? - enchanting. And it's a funny track, too.

"Stolen Child" - I've always loved the original poem. I'm most impressed by the Elvendrums rendition of this piece, since I already have a favorite version by Loreena McKennitt, which is nothing alike. This one is faster, more aggressive; hers is softer, more ethereal - two totally different modes of seduction, yet equally effective. This is the only track that borrows content from a pre-existing source; the other lyrics and all music are entirely original.

"The Dragon" - For top favorite, this one is neck-n-neck with "1-1-1" and maybe just a whisker ahead. The resonance is outstanding, the storyline is engrossing, and I about laughed my head off the first time I heard "Be careful what you want: it might want you!" because it is so true. Again, a wonderful job of capturing the characters' nature; this is dragon personality down to a T.

"Mask" - This track is downright dark-squared, accurate to the point of brutality. It skirts the border between reality, dark fantasy, and outright horror. Made my hair stand on end the first time I played it. Reality flayed with a very fine touch.

"Elvendrums Song" - Too many performers dispense with a signature piece these days, so I'm glad to have this. It's a neat showcase of the band's collective talent. I also like the blended Pagan/fey/fantasy motifs in the lyrics. Of course, it once again reflects the heart of fey nature: the fluidity of reality, and the compelling power of music. The whimsy and caprice of elves. The overall enchantment. < Much fun.

"1-1-1" - One of the best lead-ins on the album, and it only gets better from there. Mesmerizing, compelling, hypnotic, enchanting. The droning chant makes a fabulous backdrop for the lead vocalist's sweet voice, and those ghostly whispered phrases in the background are a shiversome delight. I love Pagan concepts in the lyrics, the overall unity-in-diversity message.

"Tir nAn Og" - A fitting tribute to the Land of Youth. The lyrics do a great job of weaving Mystery and experience, that which cannot be explained with the images that help reflect some sense of it. It's a fine explanation of how reincarnation works.

"Coolavin" - The basic plot elements (magic withdrawing, a warrior left behind to guard something, the yearning for home, and the magic's return) are familiar, but this is a wonderfully fresh rendition. It's got a wistful edge, yet overall it's a driving and upbeat piece. That's impressive. And I'm feminist enough to find it appealing that Mab's best warrior is not only female but a wee leprechaun as well. Heh. Diamonds and dynamite.

"Witches' Ball" - A good capsule description of Pagan beliefs and activities, and the sense generalizes well beyond Wicca, too. Nice job of weaving common sayings into the lyrics.

"Solindas" - Different mood than the rest, more Middle Eastern in the rhythm especially; just as appealing, though. It paints a lovely mental image of a desert marketplace in the evening, with lanterns aglow and tents billowing softly in the breeze, and dancers gathering by the firepits.

Overall, this is one of my all-time favorite albums, something I'll play frequently forever. The lyrics show a fine grasp of meter and especially imagery. The drumming is out of this world, in a very literal sense. This is music to lose yourself to … or find yourself. Fantasy and horror fans will love The Dragon, and science fiction fans may enjoy some tracks too. Most highly recommended.