Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't

If you haven't realized I've got an affinity for artists from the Elephant 6 collective. This enjoyment of their musical output lead to be gather most of the albums connected to the collective and I've already shared The Sunshine Fix, Beulah and A Hawk And A Hacksaw, and I'm rather sure it won't end with this post. Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't is a project of Peter Erchick, the once-upon-a-time keyboardist for Olivia Tremor Control. Thus much of what was said about The Sunshine Fix applies hereto. The project is one of the more obscure affiliated with E6, but is admirably produced nonetheless. Erchick's voice is as well suited to the psych-folk style of the music as any of the E6 songwriters. This is not to say he didn't get help, for he was aided in recording by other former Olivia Tremor Control members and Neutral Milk Hotel, including the mysteriously elusive Jeff Mangum. The first album was done under the Cloud Recordings label of John Fernandes and Will Cullen Hart formerly of OTC as well. Individualized Shirts has gems on it that stand out in my mind, namely "Ten Thousand Years Old" and "Karaoke Free" that features a lovely pig squeal intro. In what seems to be a strange happening for a second album, Special Fanfare For Anything was self-released. Despite this, the album is very pleasurable to listen to and compared to the first in the overall quality of the songs might outshine Individualized Shirts. I suspect this is at least in part to do the more liberal use of effects and experimentation with the instruments. Anyways, I'll try to post some not so Elephant 6 stuff soon, but I've just a short spurt of enthusiasm for the collective again.

To be had here:



Individualized Shirts (2001) [192 kbps]










Special Fanfare For Anything (2002) [128 kbps]