Best of the Decade: Elder’s ‘Dead Roots Stirring’

While Massachusetts outfit ELDER would go on to expand their sound on subsequent releases ‘Lore’ (2015) and 'Reflections of a Floating World’ (2017), it is 2011’s Dead Roots Stirring that really does it for me. Riffs. Grooves. Jams. This release has 'em. I get the urge to pick up my guitar listening to these songs. Pop in the disc (yes, I still buy CDs), hear the flick of the switch on the amp, and we get right to it with “Gemini.”

Nick DiSalvo creates a groove from a single note on his guitar before the bass (Jack Donovan) and drums (Matt Couto) come in to play right along. Each song is its own journey (the chorus in Gemini “I’m coming home/It’s been so long.”) This album is great for a roadie. The long spaced-out instrumentals are beautifully picked by DiSalvo, and give time for reflection on your own thoughts before the riffage returns to remind you that you are listening to a kick-ass song. And the guitar solos; glorious.

If you are not sold on this band by the end of track one…I cannot fathom a conclusion to that thought, as I am overcome with the fuzzed-out bass to begin track two.

Shortly thereafter, I find myself fully enveloped in DiSalvo’s guitar playing again. The hook in the title track is captivating, building up to a hefty verse riff. Continued variation propels the listener through this song, and onto “III.”

The wind blows and an acoustic melody is picked, as we feel lost on our road trip. Suddenly, we plug back in. Wrapped in the fuzz once more, we continue driving through this instrumental to reach “The End.” The beginning of “The End” is gracious before bursting into the main riff and a tantalizing fill/solo (one of several in this song alone).

Thankfully, The End is not the end of this album, as there is one more song to get us home. Aptly named “Knot,” the final track ties it all together. The fuzzed-out riffs along with the majestic passages we have enjoyed thus far culminate into one epic track, and we have found our way home.