The birth of Elliott was in the fall of 1995 when guitarist Jay Palumbo lef… Read Full Bio ↴The birth of Elliott was in the fall of 1995 when guitarist Jay Palumbo left the band Empathy, moved to Louisville, KY and joined up with Chris Higdon (vox/guitar) and Jonathan Mobley (bass). Higdon and Mobley had recently ended an accomplished run with the highly acclaimed band Falling Forward and been jamming with one another on an off since childhood. With the intention of sounding unlike a continuation of any of their previous hardcore bands, the threesome began writing and, with the temporary fill in drummer, soon recorded a 7" for Initial Records. The band's sound was developing into one that was quite their own: an extremely textured combination of melodic hardcore, rock, and emo that hits you smack in the face one minute and sways you into a daydream the next. In the fall of '96 they enlisted drummer Kevin Ratterman and the true focus of Elliott began.

Since then, Elliott have toured every inch of North America, building a substantial and loyal fanbase, playing on every type of bill imaginable. Metal/hardcore to alt/emo bands, Elliott have played with all of them and to much commendation. In fact, the band welcomes and often times prefers the opportunity to play with bands as dissimilar to them as possible. From the success of their debut 7" and the massive buzz that the band had created, the attention of Revelation Records was caught. Elliott's Rev debut was recorded in two halves. One at Easley Studios in Memphis and the other at Rondor Studios in L.A. The two sessions were mastered together and melded into U.S. Songs which now has Elliott as a shoe-in to inherit the title of "best new band." The album is a masterpiece, displaying Higdon's memorable, emotional vocals and the band's talented songwriting capabilities. Higdon's voice and the dynamics of Elliott's music embody the band's sound on U.S. Songs: melancholy and bliss simultaneously.

False Cathedrals
With the release of their second full length False Cathedrals, Elliott has earned their place within the genealogy of Louisville bands that have broken with tradition and disregarded conventional formulas (Slint, Squirrel Bait, etc.). Indeed, the reverberations of such non-KY bands as Fugazi, Quicksand and Radiohead can be felt in their music. If stylistic similarities to such contemporaries as Jimmy Eat World or No Knife can be made, it can also be stated that Elliott has successfully constructed a sound that can only be described as their own. Though that sound is most definitely planted in the guitar-oriented standards of post-punk, it is through the elegantly understated use of electronics and piano, the fluid bass lines interweaving its way between staccato-tribal drum work and vocalist Chris Higdon's impassioned performances that Elliott creates their latest, a masterpiece of subtlety.

The LP's opener of "Voices/Calm Americans" is about as close to perfect as a band can get; its staggered bass-piano structured beneath a steady crescendo brewing behind the deceptively simple guitar lines. As powerful as any hardcore band out there, it is the more subdued pieces that showcase the incredible songwriting skills and technical abilities that make Elliott so special. "Blessed By Your Own Ghost" showcases the strongest use of electronic gadgetry on the album creating as evocative a sound as anything Brian Eno has ever done. The eerily commanding "Dying Midwestern" is floor-room model of restraint and quiet beauty, culminating in a guitar blowout of meaty proportions. On the other side of the coin, "Drive On To Me" rocks from start to finish with its anthemic chorus, pensive lyrics (shades of such authors as J.G. Ballard perhaps?) and beautifully layered vocal harmonies. With production credited to Tobias Miller (False Cathedrals is the first album he's produced, though work with such varied artists as Fiona Apple, The Wallflowers and Korn must have come in handy), False Cathedrals is a landmark recording in the field of post-punk bands. Clean, but not polished, innovative, yet, unassuming in its glory, the overall sound is as solid as it is diverse.

With the release of False Cathedrals, Elliott has opted to stride right on past the brink and into the open fields of greatness. Now its just time for the world to catch up. Expect heavy touring and consistently inspiring live performances to take care of that end.

Song in the Air
After touring Europe and the US in 2000 and 2001, a slightly dirty but enriched Elliott came home, rebooted, and in July of 2001 - began recording and investigating the new songs they had been making together. Song in the Air, Elliott's third full length, is the first record they have made with the addition of Benny Clark on guitar and Jason Skaggs on bass. The idea was to make a quick and easy EP but the ideas kept coming and songs kept growing. At times the prospect of insanity didn't seem too far off... But, finally, in November of 2002 the project was finished. Song In The Air had been created.

Tracks from Song in the Air are some of Elliott's best yet. These songs are infused with an immediate - urgent, feeling.... and that gives us, the listeners, a view of something that hasn't been cleaned up and fabricated.

In the process of recording it (which, in itself, is a fairly big story about running their own home studio and deciding to handle all of the recording duties of the record themselves) they enlisted some great musicians and others from the Louisville area to help out, including a string quartet assembled by Christian Frederickson of The Rachel's.

Photorecording
Photorecording, Elliott's finale, comes at first with a feeling of loss - the depth and meaning that so many associated with this band is immeasurable. But you'll find it's more of a fond farewell than just a band breaking up. The legacy left behind by one of Louisville's most beloved is one that will endure, and this release closes the door with a close look into the final days (and hours) of the band in 2003.

Photorecording is a live studio album recorded directly after their last performance, and also included is the never before seen DVD documentary of Elliott's last tour. The CD+DVD set compiles the aforementioned live studio recording and documentary as well as bonus footage of live shows during the last two years of Elliott's existence. Anyone who is familiar with the band will tell you that the live show is a big part of what made Elliott amazing. The shows not only complemented their prolific recordings, but also enriched the experience for even the most casual fans of Elliott - to miss their live show would be considered a crime. Photorecording is a monument to this great band that still has fans looking forward to each member's future projects.

Kevin Ratterman is currently in a new band called Wax Fang. He also runs an independent studio in Louisville, KY called the Funeral Home Studios.

Benny Clark did a tour with a band called Unwed Sailor.

Chris Higdon is currently working in Louisville, KY on his small photography business, Kriech-Higdon Photography, which focuses primarily on bands and weddings. He is also in a new band named Frontier(s).
http://www.myspace.com/frontiersband

Billy Bisig is now playing in a band called Wolverine Brass in Louisville, KY.

Shallow Like Your Breath
Elliott Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Down here we're caught under the waste of our dilutions that fell among the quake.
Help me try to understand the great diversion that came and tore us down.
Lean onto me, lean into you.
Comfort I once knew slowly disappears.

Reverberate, shaking at the core.
Holding up your own by letting go our grasp.
Don't say a thing, don't move a word.

Shallow like your breath you hold while you're under these lights that bury you.

We claw and mark like animals,
They show the scars we hide too well.
Notice you're awake dreaming while you walk.
Halls we create are closing in on us.

You're tired so let's turn the lights out.
You're tired so let's shut it off.
It's time to count all the victims that were caught in our last explosion.
We are the couple called suicide.

We are the red cross white flag.

You're tired so let's turn the lights out,
You're tired so let's shut it off.

Overall Meaning

In Elliott's song Shallow Like Your Breath, the lyrics depict a feeling of being trapped and overwhelmed by the consequences of past actions. The first line talks about being "caught under the waste", referencing a sense of being weighed down by the effects of bad decisions. The mention of a quake suggests that these consequences were sudden and violently disruptive. The singer then calls for help in understanding why this happened, but the hopelessness of the situation is reinforced by the line "that came and tore us down".

The second verse continues the theme of feeling trapped and helpless, with the line "Holding up your own by letting go our grasp". The phrase "shallow like your breath" suggests that the situation is suffocating, and the reference to "these lights that bury you" implies an overwhelming sense of pressure and scrutiny. The next verse talks about the scars that people hide, indicating a sense of shame and regret. The "halls we create" may refer to the internal constructs people develop to protect themselves and control their environment, which only serve to trap them further.

The song ends with a refrain that reflects a sense of exhaustion and surrender, as if the singer has accepted their fate as "the couple called suicide" and the "red cross white flag". The repeated lines "You're tired so let's turn the lights out" and "You're tired so let's shut it off" suggest a longing for closure and peace, even if it means giving up entirely. The lyrics of this song are open to interpretation, but one reading could be of someone struggling with addiction, feeling trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior and wanting to escape the pain of their actions.

Line by Line Meaning

Down here we're caught under the waste of our dilutions that fell among the quake.
We are trapped and burdened by the consequences of our misguided decisions and actions, which have been compounded by unforeseen calamities.

Help me try to understand the great diversion that came and tore us down.
Assist me in comprehending the significant change in course that happened, resulting in our downfall.

Lean onto me, lean into you.
Let us support each other through this together.

Comfort I once knew slowly disappears.
The solace I once experienced is fading over time.

Reverberate, shaking at the core.
The intense aftershocks of the events are affecting us at a fundamental level.

Holding up your own by letting go our grasp.
We can only maintain our own stability by releasing our hold on each other.

Don't say a thing, don't move a word.
Let us remain silent and still for a moment.

Shallow like your breath you hold while you're under these lights that bury you.
Your breath is as shallow as you try to conceal your true feelings and identity under the oppressive and overwhelming situation you are facing.

We claw and mark like animals,
We are acting in a primal, animalistic manner, full of fear and desperation.

They show the scars we hide too well.
The external wounds are indicative of the internal traumas that we try to keep hidden.

Notice you're awake dreaming while you walk.
You are half-conscious, lost in thought, and wandering aimlessly without clear direction.

Halls we create are closing in on us.
The artificial constructs we have built for ourselves are becoming increasingly suffocating and restrictive.

You're tired so let's turn the lights out.
You are exhausted, so let us rest and cease trying to maintain the appearances.

It's time to count all the victims that were caught in our last explosion.
We must acknowledge and take responsibility for the harm our actions have caused to others.

We are the couple called suicide.
We are the embodiment of the self-destructive and harmful relationship that is doomed to fail.

We are the red cross white flag.
We are simultaneously the symbol of aid and the sign of surrender, torn between wanting to help and needing to give up.

You're tired so let's shut it off.
You are weary, so let us put an end to this agonizing struggle.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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