With Elk City’s second LP, "Hold Tight The Ropes", the NYC avant-folk trio presents its own strange vision of what rock music should be. Late 60’s psychedelia, early 70’s folk and mid 80’s first round indie rock meet head-on in the dramatic strains of ’Once and For All’. And that’s just one of eleven similarly idiosyncratic tracks.

Guitarist Peter Langland-Hassan connects the dots between Neil Young and Johnny Marr and has a voice that blends naturally with bassist Renee Lobue’s. Lobue sings with a strength and passion recalling Patti Smith and Grace Slick and plays a Fender Rhodes Piano-Bass (a la Ray Manzerick of the Doors) instead of a conventional stringed bass. The band’s secret weapon, producer/drummer Ray Ketchem uses the studio as instrument to flavor the tracks with dark atmospheres and distinctive textures.