Ruff Shod Records

Elephant Revival may hail from Nederland, Colo. and play a blend of stringed instruments, but that’s where the band’s comparisons to Yonder Mountain String Band end. The mellow songs on Break In the Clouds – the group’s sophomore effort – fall far more in the freak-folk genre than the high energy of jamgrass or even the more traditional bluegrass genre. There’s a hushed solitude to the resonant opener “Point of You,” featuring the low-pitched, deep vocals of Bonnie Paine and rich, complementary fiddle and viola playing. The quintet shines most, however, when the tempo picks up on the instrumental shuffle “Lexington,” with elegantly plucked banjo and fiddle, the country-western noir “Barefoot Friend” and happy-go-lucky feel of “What is Time,” which both feature brushed percussion and sprightly picked mandolin.