Real life is funny, literally and figuratively, and Jeff Elbel lifts his lyrics from everyday foibles of life as he knows it: rambunctious kids, clueless canine owners, marital jibes, and crappy jobs. The mix makes for an amusing album, The Eleventh Hour Storybook, which will have listeners tapping and singing along after just a few spins.
Ping has drawn a solid following at the annual Cornerstone Festival, and I'm guessing they are best consumed live. Elbel's sweetly snide view of life and genuine good nature show through in his studio work but would likely entice a crowd to want to take him home after witnessing his charm on stage.
Musically, Elbel and friends, including Andrew Carter (a.k.a. andrewesley, former Aunt Bettys guitar slinger) Phil Madeira (Hammond B3), and Steve Taylor (also a guest on Hammond B3), generate largely tongue-in-cheek, mid-tempo rock in the same vein as Swirling Eddies; in fact, Elbel's vocals are remarkably similar to Terry Scott Taylor's.
Elbel's dedication to producing quality music is evident in the extras he adds throughout, from a dog-barking bridge on "Bark Along With Cody" to camouflage keys and dot-to-dot percussion on "All In All."
The main weakness of the album, though, is Elbel's reliance on novelty for lyrics (which, conversely, some may consider its greatest strength). "Muffin In The Oven," subtitled the "insensitive maternity song," is cute, maybe even hilarious...the first time...but could easily get old, as is the case with "Bark Along With Cody" (about an annoying neighborhood dog) and "Engine of Destruction" (about a "tiny blonde tornado" of a child).
Still, Elbel's playful outlook on life is shared by many. His humor is kind, and his musical sensibility can't be denied. Everyone can find something to relate to within the notes of Ping's Eleventh Hour Storybook.
Recommended if you like Swirling Eddies, Lost Dogs, Terry S. Taylor.
2.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth July 2005Reviewed by Brian A. SmithPing is one of those "hard to classify" groups. Frontman, guitarist, and vocalist Jeff Elbel has such diverse musical influences that seem unrelated, until you hear the flow of songs one to another. Equal parts Big Star, The Rolling Stones, and They Might Be Giants, The Eleventh Hour Storybook covers the waterfront from relational issues ("Goodnight, Rabbit"), career problems ("Soul Destroyer"),…Similar sounding releases
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