Written by James Killen

I am doing something here that I seldom do and that is to reach back in time to talk about a less than current CD. I happened to pick up the 2013 production of Ordinary Elephant, “Dusty Words & Cardboard Boxes” at one of their shows, because this one slipped past me while I was looking the other direction. When I put it into the CD player in my truck, it didn’t leave for 2-1/2 weeks. I was so mesmerized by the sound of the music, that I could only reach out and grasp bits and pieces of the poignant lyrics a bit at a time, rather like remembering bits of a dream the next morning. I found that I couldn’t quit listening until I had fully digested all of each song. That is what I would strive for as an artist in any medium, were I to be blessed with talent of that sort.

Crystal’s ethereal vocals and Pete’s understated banjo belie the power of the songs about life, love, the love of life and trying to live with love. “On My Way” begins the disc with a commitment to strike out to meet life head on with no expectations. It’s followed by “Damage is Done”, a sad but firm goodbye set at the end of the relationship, when there is no doubt that it is over. “Better than This” is the declaration of one person in the relationship taking the time to appreciate what they have instead of what they don’t have and features the guitar and banjo taking an exploratory trip through that musing.

“Here Again” is written about another fork in the road of a relationship, where one has to decide whether to go on together or split ways. “Learning to Dance” addresses overcoming the fears and rebuilding trust while trying to stay together through rocky times. “The Great Migration” is the feeling of seeing someone leave behind the relationships of the past and head into an unknown future with other dreams and hopes. The story of someone trapped in a dysfunctional relationship unfolds in the dirge-like, “No Way Out”.

“Lifetime” is a song of dedication to being in love with a partner. “I Spy” is another song of setting out to discover one’s life in the form of a road song, playing the kid’s game of “I Spy” and rather than seeing mundane roadside sights the singer sees images of a new and better life. “It’s Time” is written about that last conversation one has with a loved one at the end of their life. Crystal describes a feeling between loss and hope when a relationship is teetering on betrayed trust on “It’s Love” with a hint of an Eastern European musical theme.

“New Day” might very well be my favorite of this collection of amazing pieces of art. It speaks of forgiveness and hope for the future and the refrain repeats the phrase, “don’t look down” which could mean don’t seem depressed, but it is also something you say to someone that is venturing out in a place with the potential for a long fall. Being a song and considering the context, of course the phrase carries both meanings. The disc ends with “Could Have”, speaking to the ways of fate that kept two people together through adverse times.

I’m writing this just as Ordinary Elephant has received the honor of 2017’s Artist of the Year at the Folk Alliance International convention in Kansas City. If this disc got past you, or even if you have just left it on the shelf for a few years, it’s worth pulling back out for a few more spins. Look for more good things to come from this wonderfully creative young couple.