S.e Elliott & That Awful Rhythm: “Reverend Nor The Warden”

Posted By: Rick JammPosted date: October 30, 2014in: Reviews1 Comment

The “Reverend Nor The Warden”, is a work of great maturity and insight by S.e Elliott & That Awful Rhythm

I don’t know much about S.e Elliott & That Awful Rhythm, apart from what I could pick up sparsely around the web. So anything you read here is totally off the record and pretty much unofficial, if not completely concocted and created in my current imaginary state of being.

The previous statement serves to protect me from management executives, record labels and attorneys in any way involved with band and eager to pursue and prosecute unenlightened reviewers, such as myself. Now let’s get onto the facts (?)…

S.e Elliott & That Awful Rhythm is sometimes made up of the following members – Vocals: S.e. Elliott, Sarah Beckner, Jeremy Stuart, Erica Warder , Guitars: S.e Elliott, Bass: Mike Burns, Drums: Taylor Lucas, Keys: Daniel Turner. The band has released a 6 song Ep entitled “As Long As You Abide And Obey” (though I think with a different set of members) during 2013. Currently they are promoting a track titled, “Reverend Nor The Warden”.

Furthermore from what I can gather, S.e Elliott & That Awful Rhythm has a mutating group of members which may differ on various releases. And if that in itself is not confusing enough, the band and fuel to the fire by also having a mutating style of music, as they shift through pop, rock, indie, jazz and blues, plus a little bit of something else which the band would be better off explaining themselves!

As you listen to “Reverend Nor The Warden”, you may be struck by an almost tangible quality -modern, but nonetheless familiarly retro in sound.

The predominance of the choral harmonies; the powerful, intense lead vocal; the irresistibly slow-burning, swampy rhythm; and the homiletic lyrics straining for a spiritual significance just within their grasp -all these elements make S.e Elliott sound as if he were a split between Jon Bon Jovi and David Byrne, crossed with the soul of Bob Dylan and the spirit of Tom Waits.

The “Reverend Nor The Warden”, is a work of great maturity and insight, but it is by no means tepid or dull as the word ‘maturity’ may insinuate. Written, sung, played, arranged, and produced with great passion – the track credits include Cameron Reichard (Keys), JM Flemming (Violin), Will Muir (Production, Engineering, Mixing) and Dan Brodbeck (Mastering).

This track resonates with pure, uncluttered songwriting; a masterfully crafted work of atmospheric music, with an interwoven melody and the spoken word submerged in a cauldron of slow seething rhythm. What S.e Elliott & That Awful Rhythm does here, is best described as visual music -storytelling so vivid that it comes to life through sound –a rare capacity both musically and conceptually!

OFFICIAL LINKS:

Artist Website