After touring with the Hoosiers at the back end of 2008, this Brighton based quintet have been, by some, unfortunately compared to the aforementioned irritating cartoon rock/pop outfit. While attempting to break through in the hustle and bustle of today’s music scene, that’s probably the last thing you want.

Although four fifths of the band hail from the UK and had played together for almost a decade, it was only when Norwegian lead singer Kjetil Morland joined that Absent Elk eventually formed enabling them to create their debut album, Caught In The Headlights. Apart from their name, the Scandinavian influence is very subtle. Morland’s regular gentle folky tone and wonderfully crafted melodies sound elegantly English.

Their more mature character emerges as eerie first single and album opener Sun And Water menacingly begins drifting gently through haunting atmospheric dreams. It could be mistaken for early Doves and would fit happily on Lost Souls. The bouncy Emily is the first sign of pop, but not the offensive kind of pop that infuriates you. It sounds more like the Kooks from the Konk-era in the vocals which, if anything, is no way as bad as the Hoosiers. Sometimes you get the feeling that there is more than one band inside this band as First Guitar strolls off in a Two Tone direction and then they manage to produce the most beautifully delicate tender love song in Change My World.

Throughout every song there seems to be an obvious comparison yet they all still somehow seem charmingly discrete. Though in no way does this mean you will not compare as hints of Starsailor and Air Traffic, plus the ones already stated appear regularly. You might also convince yourself that you have heard it somewhere before as the harmonies are so familiar. But hopefully with this compelling introduction they can develop an identity and lose each and every tag forever.

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