(PR) The Elms have crafted 12 tracks where spirited melodies, brazen riffs and tightly-knit rhythms come together on their fourth album The Great American Midrange. Set for release September 15 via their own Trust Incorporated label in conjunction with Warner Music Publishing and Artist 2 Market (A2M) Distribution, the album was co-produced by The Elms and longtime collaborator Brent Milligan; engineered and mixed by Adam Kasper (Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age); and mastered by the legendary Bob Ludwig (Rolling Stones, U2, Pearl Jam, REM, Radiohead). Of teaming with Kasper and Ludwig, lead singer and songwriter Owen Thomas says, "These guys are heroes of ours!"
The Elms--Owen Thomas (Vocals, Guitar), Christopher Thomas (Drums), Nathan W. Bennett (Bass) and Thomas Daugherty (Guitar)--build solidly upon a tradition that stretches from The Band to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, with deep roots in the muddy working soul of their home country.
Throughout the album, The Elms assure that the blues-heavy bombast ("The Shake") exists properly against its deep, emotional turns ("The Wildest Heart", "The Little Ways") while embracing their pop sensibilities with simple yet huge hooks ("County Fair"). Rousing first single "Back To Indiana" goes for adds at radio on August 4, after having premiered May 24 nationally on the ABC, ESPN and VS. networks during their coverage of the Indianapolis 500 race.
"'American midrange' is what I've begun calling the sonic identity of our band in the last year," explains Owen of the album title's origin. "Our sound is pretty raw and unaffected." Thomas continues, "The title is also meant to describe the working-class; the vast, collected majority of the country just putting one foot in front of the other every day, trying to find answers to very basic questions about provisions for themselves and their families. That 'midrange' is the contextual backdrop for every tune on the record, whether it be a song about work, love, ambition, or taking care of each other."
Since forming in 2001, The Elms have played more than 700 shows sharing stages in the U.S. and Europe with artists as diverse as Band of Horses, Shooter Jennings, Neil Young, the Fratellis, Switchfoot, Goo Goo Dolls and Buddy Guy. They also had the opportunity to perform alongside fellow Seymour, IN-native John Mellencamp at Farm Aid '08. Per Owen, "John was very gracious to us last year. We met, had some time to talk and he invited us to play Farm Aid '08. That's a hugely galvanizing thing for our band to have happen." The band is currently on the road and plan to continue playing across the U.S. through the rest of the year in support of The Great American Midrange.
In the eight years since its inception, The Elms have become an extremely tight unit, embodying the hard-working values that they sing about. "The guys in this band were friends and brothers long before music came calling. It's very purely constructed. That's why we can weather the changes in our lives, the music business, the tough ups and downs," says Owen. "But we've become something far deeper than friends. Without any one of us in this band, it makes no sense to me. I've got no reason to do this anymore if it's not with Thom, Chris and Nathan--that exact combination of people."
