TRACK: Return of the Gentle Rider

WHO: Elephant Micah

WHAT: Whacked-out, wonderful, Nu-Wyrd Americana.

THE HYPE: – In the words of noted blog spot, YouCrazyDreamers.com, “The only promotion happening around Elephant Micah is by word-of-mouth…”

WE SAY: The laudably democratising process that is the ‘CD-r release’ is good news for fans and artists alike for obvious reasons. Only trouble is, there’s much weakness to wade through, especially in the US.’s fervent freak-folk scene. Accessing new, albeit good, music in the digital quagmire is akin to a Ritalin-addled Tom Sawyer punting up and down the Mississippi River with no direction save for his desire to, you know, get somewhere. Thank heavens for a British micro-indie like the Great Pop Supplement who have taken a prime Nugget of bong-toking, bearded weirdness and put it out on wax and shellac – God’s own musical format. Joe O'Connell – aka Elephant Micah – specialises in DADGAD-tuned variations of wonky, winsome American folk. If he’s not kicking up a fuzz spanked, spliff-addled wall of sound or singing heartfelt spirituals unaccompanied he's cranking out instrumental, blissed-out gems like the aptly titled, Return of the Gentle River. Utterly stark, utterly heartbreaking.

IF YOU ONLY NEED TO KNOW ONE THING: Elephant Micah have self released 148 CD-r albums - in handmade, smokeable sleeves, probably.

WHERE CAN I GET MY HANDS ON IT? The Engine Emblem EP is forthcoming on the bespoke The Great Pop Supplement label.

FIND OUT MORE: www.elephantmicah.com

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