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Press

When Sierra Frost was 16, her favorite local band was Elephone. Her dreams of ever attending their shows as part of the audience were forever quashed a few months later, in 2006, when she joined the San Francisco indie rockers as key board player and ..vocalist.

"I was super into Elephone, it was probably my favorite local band," Frost says. She's now 18 and the youngest member of the veteran act.

"I was the one who begged them to let me join," Frost says.

When she first jammed with the band, she already knew all of their songs, but she calls the process shameful because she was trying so hard.

"I had to totally not be cool for a minute and go, 'Come on, let me join your band,' " Frost says.

With the addition of Frost, Elephone has developed into what could be called a version of the Pixies for this generation.

Elephone has had a lot of turnover, but the constants have been lead singer and guitarist Ryan Lambert and guitarist Terry Ashkinos.

Bringing Frost in "was one of the best decisions we ever made, and it breathes new life into the project. It took a little pressure off me and I like the give-and-take on the vocals that we do. Elephone became a whole new monster," Lambert says.

Its latest release, "Canister," captures what makes Elephone unique. The first song, "El Jefe," features a catchy guitar riff with Frost singing part of the chorus in Spanish and Lambert breaking in with lyrics and vocals that sound like a roller coaster on caffeine pills.

"All of my lyrics are out there and not coherent immediately. You have to dig a little bit to find a meaning," Lambert says.

As local indie rock staple Elephone prepares to release their new album Canister on Talking House Records, those of us who knew the old Elephone find the new sound quite changed, but not at the expense of the energy and charisma that they are so known for.

The name “Canister” refers to a film canister, as Lambert drew inspiration from his time in the film industry, and the film theme is evident if you listen for it in the lyrics and the dramatic changes in mood. Having signed to Talking House just last year, the band also recorded the whole album on analog equipment, to keep the feeling of capturing a moment in time as opposed to a sequence of pieced-together clips.

Tracks like “El Jefe” and “Canister” bring together the male-female vocals in different ways, the former featuring Frost on a repeating motif that is just so damn catchy, and the latter being more of a blended, graceful combination of vocals.

The crowd thickened when Elephone, the second band of the night, arrived on the scene. With explosive charisma and casual sex appeal, the five-piece exuded energy with an ease even more established bands would envy. The most notable characteristic of their performance was the impressive vocal interplay between keyboardist Sierra Frost and guitarist Ryan Lambert. Vocal parts jumped between the two, ultimately coming together in pitch-perfect harmony. While Lambert offered a low grit and strength, Frost exhibited lighter characteristics with a hint of punk angst. The chemistry was exceptional as bassist Dan Settle moved about the stage, playing bass and banging drumsticks on the floor. Their grand finale was filled with controlled chaos, an energetic end to a great set. Said Frost, “If you like it, you should buy the CD. It’s just like that, but better.” It was already pretty damn good.

Bio

Elephone's third release The Camera Behind the Camera Behind the Camera charted number 17 on CMJ charts and received local and national critical acclaim. Their fourth release, Canister, provides the listener with more hooks than ever before. While singer Ryan Lambert controlled vocal duties on previous records, the new album features the addition of keyboard player and vocalist Sierra Frost.

Lambert got his start in film and television, and cinema continues to influence the band's approach. The band was started when Ryan and Elephone guitarist, Terry Ashkinos, moved from LA to San Francisco in 2003. They started writing songs together and quickly found out that a hybrid of Terry's brand of arty indie rock and Ryan's obsession with Neil Diamond could break new ground in the SF scene. The additon of Dan Settle on bass brought a level of expertise that would help elephone realize it's vision.

Canister was recorded on analog equipment. "The band wanted the album to reflect something honest and real, says bassist Dan Settle, The aesthetic is that you hear an album that the band actually played live in the studio. A recording is meant to capture a moment in time." Canister does just that.

Elephone has seen the world from the inside of old touring vans and they've seen the flicker of too many beers in their audience's eyes. Canister reached 14 on the CMJ charts and received regular play on stations like BAGeL Radio and SomaFM. As one writer for The Deli Magazine declared, "If this band doesn't continue to increase in popularity, I may lose my faith in the system."

“David Byrne-worthy wail over a roaring bass line that nearly explodes off the stage…Triumphant, reverberating guitar and a driving dance drumbeat…Based on their new material, Elephone is well on its way to earning an enviable position at the forefront of San Francisco’s next wave of bands, alongside Film School, Rogue Wave, and The Velvet Teen.”
--Performer Magazine


"...Elephone was the best part of the show. The band was exuberant and relatable on stage. “
-The Deli Magazine


"Tenebrous power-pop impressionism gets a psychedelic make-over in this emotional and intelligent bay-area quintet. See them now so you can say you heard them when."
-SF Weekly


"Elephone's PiL-meets-Bauhaus sound is replete with synthy keyboards and a heart-sleeved frontman that soft/loud, '80s new wave/garage-psychedelia aesthetic just never seems to get old."
–Flavorpill


"It's the sound of a tight, polished musical unit, from tender moments (the opening of "As Seen on TV") to in-your-face ("Rabbit Train," easily a high point). Canister is heavy on the hooks, the muscular guitar, and pumping, danceable drumming."
-The East Bay Express


"Frost's vocals are reminiscent of some of the recent female powerhouses, such as Karen O, and provide the perfect companion to singer Ryan Lambert¹s conversational melodies."
-The Bay Bridged


"The crowd thickened when Elephone arrived on the scene. With explosive charisma and casual sex appeal, the five-piece exuded energy with an ease even more established bands would envy."
-Performer Mag

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