There has been a lot of buzz about this album, with everyone talking about the infectious, intelligent pop of The Elms. Unfortunately, the disc does not live up to those expectations.
The big surprise with "Big Surprise" is that it comes off like the latest in a long list of "Hey, look, I signed to a major CCM label" releases. Most of the buzz I have heard comes from their indie days, but now that the band is on Sparrow Records, it seems as though they are trying hard to make the most least-common-denominator music and fit in with everything else out there on the top forty front. Their blending of British and American pop is nothing new, and just isn't very compelling. Sure, there is a lot of foot tapping, happy tunes here, but that's about it. Kinda like the Monkees meet the Beach Boys meet the Brill Building songwriting machine, and not really pulling any of it off.
2.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2001Reviewed by Josh HurstAs a music critic, one of the most frustrating feelings in the world is when I hear a band that I really like, but they aren't particularly good. The Elms is a band that personifies this dilemma nicely. On the one hand, The Elms' debut full-length record, Big Surprise, boasts insanely catchy melodies, simple-yet-effective instrumentation, and some overall satisfying lyrics. On the other hand, The…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Bert GanglDespite the relative youth of its members, The Elms are hardly newcomers to the pop/rock scene. Founded in 1996 by siblings Owen and Chris Thomas, the band, then known as Just Visiting, spent several months playing concerts and festivals before entering the studio to record their first independent album, Gardenshow. The group's second indie album, Just Visiting, followed in 1998. After changing…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Aaron BellIt takes a special kind of music to be truly fun. This release from The Elms is that kind of music. It's summer music, the kind of stuff you put on at a backyard barbecue or a day at the beach throwing a frisbee around. It's fun! The opening track "Hey Hey" is a nice start with its mix of Euro-pop/rock and horns. It is a nice summer sound which would make the perfect addition to a summer…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Brian A. SmithIndiana quartet, The Elms, have the potential to be Christian rock's next big thing. With a style formerly dubbed "power pop," the band's debut album The Big Surprise captures nuances of well-known groups like PFR, The Waiting, Cheap Trick and The Replacements, while still managing to sneak in a distinctive sound sure to identify them. This is a band that will be all over Christian radio this…Similar sounding releases
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