The Elephant Trees

I’m from Leeds, England. Born and raised. However, musical interests have taken me to recording studios from the Bahamas to Memphis, and I’ve seen bands play live from Berlin to New Orleans. As for music festivals, well let’s just say I’ve stood in more muddy fields than a Yorkshire farmer. Oh, and Bryan Adams once offered my wife and I a lift; it was the winter of 2009, not the summer of 69. So what’s all that got to do with The Elephant Trees? In one word: Context.

You see, in my opinion, The Elephant Trees are the most exciting band to come out of Leeds since the Kaiser Chiefs. Hailing from the Leeds suburb of Guiseley (hitherto only famous for the manufacture of Silver Cross prams and Harry Ramsden’s fish and chip shop) this genre-hopping trio are set to take the world by storm. Yes, they really are that good.

It all starts with singer and multi-talented musician Martha Phillips. Phillips is the most enigmatic person to front a band since Florence Welch stepped up to the mic for Florence and the Machine. Interestingly, Phillips has a similar vocal range to Welch (3 Octaves, by my untrained ear). Take a listen to the song ‘Heroine’ and you’ll see what I mean.

Stood alongside Phillips is Sam Hugh-Jones on guitar and Tom Palmer on drums. These guys pull together some of the most varied and interesting rhythms you will hear this year. From the mosh pit induced circle pit forming finale of ‘Hooked’, to the MØ like melodies of ‘4100’ they’ve got it all covered.

Photo Credit – The Elephant Trees Facebook

The Elephant Trees latest single is ‘Day 42’. It’s an unhinged ballad to the days of COVID isolation. ‘Day 42’ captures perfectly the claustrophobia of lockdown, and the restless boredom it caused.

So, check out The Elephant Trees, and take a peek into the future.