With Brent Milligan producing, the sound of Big Surprise comes as absolutely no surprise. Milligan's Formula 409 brand of production (remove all power from power pop) ruined Seven Day Jesus' eponymous sophomore outing. Now Milligan has made the Elms so sickeningly squeaky clean that even a person with the most serious pop fetish would get a horrible cavity.
But we can't only blame Milligan for the unpleasant sugar rush that is the Elms' Big Surprise. I mean, the band (lead singer / guitarist Owen Thomas is the songwriter) performs the songs. Thomas may write catchy-as-heck pop songs with well executed melodies, but the problem is the hooks. Where are they? The absence of a single solid hook, well . . . it sucks. And the record suffers because of it.
Thomas' femme-boy-johnny-jump-up croons bring the discerning listener into the songs. Through the verses the band gently builds to what should be the hook, instead they flop into the chorus. Opening track and never-would-be-a-hit-single-in-the-real-world "Hey Hey" is a primed and perfect example of the shortcomings of Big Surprise. This song (and "A Minute to Ourselves") contains a strong intro that fizzles into a sissy-barred change, then you find Owen with his tongue in your ear and whispering how much he loves you on the verse. Smiling, you get ready for the kiss when the chorus comes, but there is no hook, and he walks away.
These songs have a penchant for being utterly ordinary ("Who Got the Meaning," "Lifeboat"), and downright bad ("You're Glowing," "You Get Me Every Time"). "Real Men Cry" is for the Promise Keepers crowd (the title of the song says it all). The Elms and their Big Surprise is power pop that is so sugary it smells like crap. Lacking any sort of guts or edginess that is taking place in the mainstream power pop scene, the Elms are a CCM-ized Knack, and that's being generous.
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 Ken MuellerThere 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…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
1997UmaFare Well
2004NewsboysDevotion
2003Will HogeBlackbird on a Lonely Wire
2001Tim HughesHere I Am to Worship
2001downheredownhere
1998SemisonicFeeling Strangely Fine
