New Believers by Elk City

AllMusic Review by Margaret Reges:

Elk City lost their guitarist/vocalist Peter Langland-Hassan soon after the release of their second record, Hold Tight the Ropes. It was a huge loss, but like any good band Elk City picked itself up, dusted itself off, and snagged a couple of shiny new band members. Well, less along the lines of shiny and new and more along the lines of seasoned and time-tested, as in ex-Luna guitarist Sean Eden and ex-Lovelies bassist Barbara Endes. Things haven't been quite the same in Elk City since they came along. For instance, vocalist Renee LoBue, who stepped into the forefront once Langland-Hassan was out of the picture, reveals herself to sound a heck of a lot like a cross between Chrissie Hynde and Patti Smith.

The band has dropped the Neil Young-ish twang that characterized their first two albums -- they sound tougher, savvier, more glam, not only drawing from Smith and the Pretenders but Kate Bush, David Bowie, and even Iggy Pop. And, with the exception of a few missteps, they sound better than ever. LoBue has come into her own on this album -- the cloying indie wispiness that characterized her earlier work (both in Elk City and Melting Hopefuls) has been stripped away, revealing pure muscle. She sounds practically warrior-like on the stompy, tart-sweet first track, "Cherries in the Snow," and manages to pull off a practically Bowie-esque croon on reflective tracks like "Silver Lawyers" and "Nighttime." "Los Cruzados" might be the best track on the album -- LoBue's mournful, liquid vocals are haunting and exultant on the song's refrain of "Hallelujah, hallelujah."

Tracklist

1.	Cherries In The Snow	3:21

2.	Little Brother	4:26

3.	Silver Lawyers	4:16

4.	Los Cruzados	4:18

5.	White Walls	3:28

6.	Totally Free	4:32

7.	You Got Me	2:47

8.	My Type Of Criminal	4:29

9.	Melody	3:23

10.	Nighttime	4:37

11.	Magic Door	2:38

Credits

released April 17, 2007

Produced by Ray Ketchem
Songs by Renée LoBue
© 2007 LoBue/Ketchem published by sound is crazy music (BMI)

Renee LoBue / lead vocals, bass on 8, 11
Ray Ketchem / drums, organ, synths, percussion
Sean Eden / guitar on 1, 4, 5 / keyboards on 4, 10 / voice on 5
Barbara Endes / bass guitar on 1, 4, 5 / backing vocals on 4, 5
Brother JT / guitar on 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11 / backing vocals on 1, 2, 3, 6, 7
Dan McKinney / piano on 7, 8, 10 / hammond organ on 8, 11
Chris Wei / guitar solo on 2, bass arrangement on 4
Bob Hoffnar / pedal steel on 3,6,7,8 / dobro on 7
Paul Deppler / bass guitar on 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10
Peter Hoffman / acoustic guitar on 2
Ed Tomney / electric guitar on 1,10

Recorded by Ray Ketchem in the WOMB and Orange Road
Assistant engineering on 4, 5 by David Voigt and Joel Morowitz
Piano & Hammond organ recorded by Dan McKinney
at Dan’s House Studio, Center Valley PA

Mixed by Ray Ketchem
Mastered by Alan Douches

This album is dedicated to the memory of
Kathryn Ketchem and Robert Grauso

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