Them Elephants channel the joy of endless summer on buoyant debut LP

Stomping onto the scene with a debut LP packed with big riffs and bigger rhythms, NorCal rockers Them Elephants deliver a set of high-energy posi-alt jams that surfs saccharine swells with an easy confidence and magnetic disposition. 

Comparisons can be drawn to alternative 90s radio kingpins such as Supergrass and Better Than Ezra, as well as more contemporary acts like Parquet Courts and Iguana Death Cult, but in reality Them Elephants’ roots go much deeper. This is truly classic California rock n roll, imbued with the kind of irresistible soul and endless summer attitude that’s made life on the best coast a perennial muse since the earliest moments when surfing and rock culture began to intertwine on the sandy tailgates of VW buses and boundless stretches of sunset boardwalks.

The album opens with “Mademoiselle,” a wave of Beach Boys-style vocal harmonies setting the vibe before kicking into a driving rhythm that carries a litany of sunny, coastal affirmations with the kind of undeniable bop that immediately aligns the listener to Them Elephants’ unflappably upbeat perspective. There’s nary a hint of clouds across the entire tracklist, each song leading with guitar work that runs the gamut from colossally crunchy on “Who Do You Want To Be” to soaring solos that unfurl into epically rendered utopian soundscapes on “True.” Them Elephants is unquestionably a six-string showcase, but inventive additions keep the proceedings nimble and imbue each track with bite-sized personalities to lend a multifaceted glimmer to the album’s high-polish shine.

“Turn Me On Now” flirts with third wave ska, as brassy horns bounce along on a rubberband bassline while “Runaround” weaves in traditional organ for a modern take on 1960s surf-pop. Even little flourishes like the gym-class whistles on “Heartbeat” spice up the mix and keep the good times rolling from note to note without skipping a beat. “Good Times” is just what it says on the label, a Saturday morning manifesto custom tailored for long weekends and carefree adventures. Even when the album dips into more sentimental territory on closer “Let’s Grow Old,” Them Elephants remains resiliently buoyant, casting their gaze beyond the past, through the present, and on into a future that is as assuredly blissful as the comforting rays of the setting sun.

Every once and a while you just need an album that is unabashedly joyful, 40 minutes of lemonade and sunshine that banishes the gloom of modern existence with simple chords and the universal truths of perpetual summer vacation and radiant positivity. Them Elephants is just that album.

Stream the album on your favorite platform here and follow Them Elephants on Instagram.