"Caperton is beautifully restrained and earnest, often contemplative and quiet, and Leggett's groovy beats and Tate's ethereal keyboards lend the band a dreamy, dance-y, new-wave sound. In fact, the band goes beyond the sum of its supergroup parts, and often sounds like a collaboration of something much larger." - Molly Preismeyer, City Pages
"The end result was an intoxicating hybrid, a prickly post-rock outfit with serious groove in its pants. Caperton's lyrical pen is similarly deft throughout Real Blood, crafting a dark world of paranoia and displacement occasionally tempered by glimpses of light." - Nathan Dean, Pulse Twin Cities
"True story: The new CDs by the Shins and Ela were both at the top of my listening pile last week, and during one daydreaming/guitar-basking moment, I lost track of which one was on. Blame it on a caffeine shortage, but that Ela disc -- "Real Blood on Fake Trees," which lands this week on local indie-rock label du jour Afternoon Records -- really is full of immaculate, carefully crafted sonic epics akin to the stuff that made the New Mexico indie-rockers famous." - Chris Reimenschnider, Star Tribune
"Led by Bill Caperton and Knol Tate (who are also key members of Askeleton) and backed by Heiruspecs' moonlighting rhythm section, Ela's new disc, "Real Blood on Fake Trees," is a deliberate and carefully considered work that already sounds like it'll end up on a few best-of-2007 lists."
-Ross Raihala, Pioneer Press
"6 out of 6 pitchforks!" - DIW Magazine (issue 19)
"Stapled to Air is an alluring musical hybrid, blending jagged electric guitar shards and occasional blood curdling yelps with limber bass lines and swingin drum fills." -Rob Van Alstyne, Pulse of the Twin Cities 2004
"Stapled to Air is simply a nine-song juggernaut of smart songwriting and poignant lyricism with a result so contemplative that its tough not to become completely involved in it." -Kyle Undem, 30 Music 2004
Click on the buttons to order or download it on iTunes.
Ela Real Blood On Fake Trees
AR030
$12 (US)/$14 (INTL)
"Go through the ear to the center
where sky is, where wind,
where silent knowing.
Put seeds and cover them.
Blades will sprout
where you do your work."
Biography : Ela
Ela (ee-lah) is comprised of members Bill Caperton (vocals, guitar), Sean McPherson (bass), Peter Leggett (drums) and Knol Tate (guitar, keyboards).
Over the past 4 years they have released 2 full length records, one 4 song 12 inch, and one tour only EP. They have played CMJ, toured the Midwest and east coast multiple times, been on sold out West, Midwest and East Coast tours, sweat in basements, bars, clubs, vfws and theaters.
Ela's first record, Stapled to Air, was released in 2004 on New York's Third Earth Music label. The first rock release on 3EM, the band found itself in the company of underground hip-hop groups like Jean Grae, Oddjobs, and Mr. Len (Company Flow). Stapled to Air immediately entered full rotation at Minneapolis radio stations KUOM and KFAI, and received national play, eventually reaching 120 on the CMJ charts. Local and National press picked up on the band too; In Devil in the Woods issue 19, the record garnered a perfect review with 6 out of 6 pitchforks.
Following this record, Ela played in the company of other up and coming bands including Stars, Carissas Weird (now Band of Horses), Tapes N Tapes, the Fever, Pilot to Gunner, Xiu Xiu, and Jeff Hanson. Notable larger scale shows at the same time included playing sold out venues with Travis Morrison in Minneapolis and The Wrens in Chicago. In April 2006, Ela received a call to go out on a 28-day tour with Los Angeles based indie-pop rising stars Say Anything (J Records). Playing sold out shows from Detroit to LA and back with only 2 days off propelled Ela's live act to a new level.
In the meantime Tate began running a studio in an old dry-ice factory in St. Paul. Building off the momentum of the Say Anything tour, the band got to work writing and recording a new demo. Straying from the blistering confessional work of the first album into a world more subtly haunting, Ela's second full length "Real Blood on Fake Trees" was born. The record was released to favorable reviews and spent 9 weeks on the CMJ top 200, peaking at 84. On the strength of the new material, Ela was asked to accompany Minus the Bear on a 3 and a half week tour across the northern half of the country. In October of 2007 Ela joined Subtle and Minus the Bear on a tour ranging from Spokane WA to Norfolk VA and all points in between. Sold out shows at legendary venues like the Fillmore East at Irving Plaza and 2 nights at the Middle East in Boston provided Ela with further conviction to follow their unique vision.
Once more winter is descending on the upper midwest. The band is back in the rehearsal space over Unversity avenue, breathing life into more baby songs.
so Minus the Bear has you in there top friends and i thought to myself "thats really cool"....lol no but it is though! Like the new song and also Bill congrats on the milita group with OFTT!
THE GATES - HBO Screening Thursday, February 7, 2008 7-10pm FREE Reception at 7pm Screening at 8pm
In 1979, artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude proposed one of the largest public works of art in history: a “golden river” of 7,503 fabric-paneled gates in Central Park. Transcending controversy, it was finally completed in 2005.
THE GATES, directed by Antonio Ferrera, Albert Maysles, David Maysles and Matthew Prinzing, chronicles the artists’ 26-year commitment to transform the winter darkness of the park into a garden of light and color, bringing art to the people of New York City.
Reservations are required. Call 1-866-717-6072 to reserve your seats.
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