Jeff Elbel. Chances are you don't know the name, but you should. Jeff owns a small independent record label, Marathon Records - a label that has released albums by artists as varied as Aunt Bettys and Andrewesley, as well as the various bands he's involved with: Sunny Day Roses, Farewell to Juliet, and of course Ping. The caliber of the releases are top notch, and lovingly put together. I'd stack up anything that comes out on Jeff's little label pretty against much anything on the majors (except for stuff by Carman - he's in a league of his own).

Jeff has a quirky vocal style (he is pretty self deprecating, and calls it croaking) and if you like tight pop songs, and enjoy bands like TMBG, chances are you'd like Ping. If you like more world music flavoured pop, Sunny Day Roses is a good project. Or if you like great rock / pop - Farewell to Juliet has some great tunes.

I'm always a little nervous when I write about Jeff and his stuff. Mainly because he's also a good writer, and has critiqued my reviews in the past. He's not a man to lightly exchange witticisms with. He's a fart smella, and a real gentleman. A rare breed to be sure.

So Jeff, here's hoping that one day you get to play Budokan.

No Outlet (©2001 Marathon Records)

1: Back Into The Cage 2: Radio Flyer 3: Here Comes The Sunburn 4: Going My Way 5: The Crawl 6: Miracle Rain 7: Bedouin Girl 8: Mary Across The Ocean 9: Mouthful Of Air 10: Songwork

Hmmm. If you're reading this you'll realize pretty quickly that I don't often review things in chronological order. I bought this after Loyal To You, and over the last year or so I've become pen pals with Jeff. Heck, even my son has gotten in on the action by beating me to the punch and interviewing Jeff (check out www.marathonrecords.com). Which is my not so subtle way of saying that where Jeff's music is concerned I've developed a soft spot, and I can't in good conscience hide behind my PC and take cheap shots at his singing or guitar playing without expecting some sort of rebuttal. I also have to take into account that Jeff writes better than me and knows more exotic put-downs so I'm somewhat reluctant to trade witticisms with the man.

Lucky for me I'm not given much to work with here in terms of scathing ribs or caustic rants. No Outlet is a better than average acoustic flavoured prog rock album (I should have bought this one before Loyal to You - how do you say Theo with a lisp?). Which is pretty cool. For a guy who records on a shoestring budget, there's nothing cheap about the textures and feel of No Outlet. The performances are crisp, and tight without sounding sterile and lifeless. It makes me wonder what the guy could pull off given a real budget.

As to Jeff's voice (you saw this coming didn't you Jeff?) - he has something most cookie cutter pop vocalists wish they had: Style. Admittedly he's no Robin Zander or Fee Waybill, but I'd stack him up against other quirky vocalists like Adrian Belew or the two Johns: Linnell & Flansburgh.

Now about this Meet Your Maker thing ... I think the songs are pretty good, and there are a couple of real keepers, but Jeff, how many times are you going to record the same songs? You could be taking a pretty major leap of faith that people are waiting to hear the same songs from you. Who knows maybe they are, and I'm once again the only person clapping on the off beat (I am white and left handed, which might explain a few things).

Still, this is about No Outlet, and I think it's a pretty decent album. If you like acoustic rock and like Days of the New and They Might Be Giants I'd bet you a quarter you'll like Ping.

Take a chance, what's the worst that could happen?

Reviewed August 22, 2004

Loyal To You (©2003 Marathon Records)

1: Introduction 2: Holiday On Ice 3: Mary Across The Ocean 4: Dig 5: Here Comes The Sunburn 6: Just Add Water 7: Going My Way 8: Miracle Rain 9: Bedouin Girl 10: Tomorrow 11: Pop 12: Healer 13: Dinosaur 14: All The Way Home

Recorded live at Cornerstone 2002. Live albums are always a mixed bag. Some are so far removed from capturing the band live that they're glorified studio albums with applause; others are so raw it's like witnessing a car crash - except the victim is sitting in the audience. Loyal to You is a crisp sounding record, and the energy of the live performance adds the spark missing from many studio recordings (at this point I don't have a reference point to Ping's studio output so I'm assuming it has a different spark).

I really wanted to be blown away but for the most part it didn't knock me over, although everytime I listen to it I do lean over a little more - who knows in time I may just fall over. Just so I don't come across as a complete plonker I have to say there are a few moments where I sat up and cocked my head to the side. Most noticeably Dig (which reminded me in a good way of Days of the New). Honourable mentions to the covers of Dinosaur, and All the Way Home. Any band that even attempts to cover Mister Belew, let alone Spinal Tap is worthy of at least a few listens.

Jeff is a very cool guy who totally cracked me up when we were trading notes back and forth last year prior to me picking this one up. I feel bad not totally liking this one. Perhaps the next one ...

I was told by a reliable source (who shall remain nameless lest he get mad and kick my ath - that's ass with a lisp, as I didn't want to use profanity) that I should have started with No Outlet.

Reviewed January 27, 2004

The Eleventh Hour Songbook (©2004 Marathon)

1: Engine Of Destruction 2: Bark Along With Cody 3: Getting Ahead Of Myself 4: You Little Victim 5: All In All 6: Muffin 7: Soul Destroyer 8: Goodnight, Rabbit 9: All In The Family 10: Time To Leave 11: Commentary 12: Even More bloody commentary

Jeff Elbel should be famous, or if not famous, more well known, or if not more well known, at the very least sought after by those who know about this sort of thing (“What sort of thing would that be Jev?” – How should I know? I only write this stuff in one long stream of consciousness coffee induced flurry of activity. It costs extra to be understandable).

Ping is the catchall bucket for the assorted musicians Jeff enlists to flesh out his musical projects (the band is like a bag of licorice all sorts). The Eleventh Hour Songbook was prepared and released so that Jeff would have some new product to flog at the annual Cornerstone festival. If you believe the notes, and commentary (yes, the disc has an accompanying audio commentary on the songs that is very cool) this was cobbled together at the last minute and doesn’t really count as an official release. To that I say, “Poop on you Mister Elbel.” Talent that can throw out ideas willy-nilly and have them sound crisp and clear and played with a degree of professionalism that belies the indie nature of the recording is irritating to people who know about this sort of thing (what sort of thing?).

Jeff is not a top 40 singer: Richard Marx or Fee Waybill (I love Fee!) are in no danger of losing their day jobs. However, he can hold a tune, has a decent range, and is a pretty good writer and musician to boot. If I was to use a single word to describe him it would be quirky. Quirky like Stan Ridgway, the two Johns from TMBG, or Stano Bano (but with more range and less height) from The Banos (oh, shoot me for being shameless!).

This is pretty good stuff, and Andrew Carter lends his tasty chops (that guy is a freaky good player!) to much of the album. The songs range from novelty: Engine of Destruction, Bark Along with Cody, Muffin in the Oven, to songs that aren't (oh sheesh, I'm in fine form today). The songs are kind of acoustic rock, rockabilly, alt rock. Pick a genre. They’re essentially pop songs, and what I like about them is the emotional quality to the writing (even the silly songs). There’s an honesty and earnestness to Jeff’s writing that I find appealing.

For an interim album, this is pretty good stuff. Who knows, maybe one day Jeff will get his due, if not some money. If not, he can be happy knowing he has fans all over the world numbering well into the dozens. At least one of whom is probably willing to spend at least, oh sixty dollars, for Ping's one day soon to be released pretentious progressive art rock album.

Reviewed January 14, 2005

Engine of Destruction LIVE 2003 (©2005 Marathon / Bootleg.com)

1: Introduction / Mary Across the Ocean 2: Here Comes the Sunburn / Miracle Rain 3: Bedouin Girl 4: Radio Flyer / Engine of Destruction 5: Dig / Getting Ahead of Myself 6: Time to Leave 7: All in All

This limited edition of which I have #7/250, was recorded at the legendary Cornerstone festival in 2003, Jeff and his hoary cast of thousands again prove they’re the little band that almost does. If Rodney Dangerfield couldn’t get any respect neither does Ping. Jeff is an almost ubiquitous presence in indie music – and still manages to be almost completely unknown. Even the intro to the concert reflects his position. “There are a lot of bands that have become legends at Cornerstone. And maybe someday this will be one of them, but in the meanwhile, this guy is done a lot of help for a lot of our favourite bands … he’s a big support behind the scenes.”

I know there are only a few of these kicking around, but they’re worth getting just to get a pure unadulterated Ping experience. Jeff’s band is taut and you can tell the guys (and gal) are having fun. The audience reaction is more subdued than I expected, but then it is a board recording, and unless they had a mic on the audience you’re not going to hear much from the crowd. One song I always enjoy live is “Dig” for whatever reason the studio version always seemed sterile and lifeless. Of course we get songs from the mysterious Meet Your Maker album, which Jeff often refers to, but which I suspect is locked up in Axl Rose’s vault along with Chinese Democracy.

The only real complaint I have is the way the tracks were split on the CD – sometimes there are two songs on one track, including intros etc. Minor complaint, and only adds to the bootleg aspect of the release.

Reviewed November 14, 2005

(©1993 Marathon Records)

1: Endless Sky 2: Blindness 3: Goldfish 4: Mood Swing 5: November 6: Sorrow And Pride 7: Welcome Mat 8: Eight 9: Adam's Chain

The debut from Farewell to Juliet is a pretty good art pop album. In fact for an indie release, this is a really decent sounding recording, and the musicianship is first class (except for some oddly played acoustic guitar parts). Heck, there’s even some artsy fartsy-shredding on Blindness – rock on (play magic fingers!). Released in 1993, Echoes of Laughter has a serious 80’s vibe to it – which is one of the reasons I like it. Musically this one reminds me of a cross between The Church and Stompin’ Tom Connors, which is a good thing as far as I’m concerned.

It must be frustrating to these guys to know they were onto something, thinking the future looked bright – only to remain a band with a small dedicated following who never managed to catch a big break. It must have sucked. To quote the Dead Milkmen, “...and this is life as I know it / this is life as I know it.”

If you like art rock, and miss the 80’s even though this was released in the 90’s you could do worse than this. A lot worse – after all, 1993 also saw the release of albums by Joey Lawrence and Fabio.

Reviewed May 16, 2005

Grace And Dire Circumstances (©1998 Marathon Records)

1: Welcome Home 2: Holiday On Ice 3: Bittersweet 4: Browning's Pearl 5: Ever Be 6: Justice 7: Chase The Kangaroo 8: Motions I Know 9: Seconds Count 10: Thermostat 11: Healer 12: Seven Three One 13: Fear The Lord

Five years after their debut, Farewell to Juliet regrouped and produced their swan song. Talk about going out with a bang. I've had this album for a couple of years and have been listening to it pretty steady ever since.

The first that stands out is the maturity of the album, and that the boys have found their sound - they aren't simply playing chameleon and mimicking someone else. They've boiled their influences down and used the bits and pieces to create their own musical formula.

From what I gather from Jeff, this album is the best selling album ever in the Marathon catalog - and with good reason. It's a pure pop album, with enough edge and artsy fartsyness to appeal to a pretty wide audience. The songs are all solid, no stinkers here - not one.

As to the sound - this is a wonderful sounding recording. Somehow these guys produced a million dollar recording on a shoestring budget. The performances are all very strong - there are only a few hints here and there of studio-lifelessness (does that make sense - when you hear it you know right away. It's when the songs are played note perfect, but there's no life and energy in the song. It's as if a bunch of country singers were forced to play Metallica covers).

Now to be honest all these glowing accolades didn't spring out after the first listen. There were a few songs that immediately grabbed me, and overall I thought it was solid throughout, but I liked Echoes of Faith more (initially). I remember telling a friend of mine who has both albums as well my observation, and he told me I was essentially missing the point (he was a little more flowery) and to listen more closely. I hate it when Theo's right, it makes his head swell, which accentuates his hairline - the effect gives me the freakin heebie-jeebies.

Grace and Dire Circumstances (Marathon Records) is still in print, and for those of you who like your rock stars human and accessible, Jeff Elbel would be more than happy to sell you a copy - heck I'll bet if you asked he'd sign it for you.

Reviewed May 18, 2005