Writing for this blog has let me learn about all the wonderful places where good music comes. For example, shoegaze outfit Elson comes from the port town of Grimsby, in Lincolnshire, England, which was the home port for the world’s largest fishing fleet in the mid-20th century. During the 2nd century AD, a small town of Roman workers inhabited the area.
Do you think those fishers or those Romans would have liked the echoing soundscapes of Elson’s new single “Slip” if they had survived to hear it? I say yes, they would, because I do. “Slip” is three minutes of solid shoegaze with emotionally-charged lyrics about vulnerability and grappling with self-acceptance: “Maybe one day, I’ll slip this skin/Maybe one day, I’ll let me begin/But for now, I push it down/I push it in, but never out.”
Another fun fact about Grimsby: Their local football club, Grimsby Town F.C., is one of only ten to have competed in all of the top five divisions of English football (Premier League, EFL Championship, EFL League One, EFL League Two, and the National League). But despite their ups and downs, they lick their wounds, come back kicking, and play hard every match for their fans. If that doesn’t scream grappling with identity and fighting for survival, I don’t know what does.
Take a listen to “Slip” below.
Written by Will Sisskind
