By: Liz Levine
Rating: 7 /11 

Rather than the thrilling time one might spend watching TV’s best current drama, The Lost Hour is a project recorded by Grogan Social Scene (heh) and The Elk during that time annoyingly taken away by daylight savings time. And indeed the five tracks are appropriate for that confusing late-night hour, quiet and contemplative in a manner that has won so many girlfriends in college dorm rooms. Both artists embody the singer/songwriter in its classic sense, a sensitive boy gently picking his guitar and spilling his emotions, but with one very distinct difference setting them apart from one another: the voice. The Elk’s flows smoothly and is in fact quite pretty, but GSS’s is one of those rare but immediately pop-out doozies, the deep baritone of a Calvin Johnson or a Stephin Merritt. The intensity of such is capable of changing a song’s mood entirely, as your classic brooding guitar player becomes a burly softie.

The songs themselves are simple and pleasant with the guitar work gently gliding along as accompaniment to the story. The chord structures are pleasing and along with the easy tempo could nicely rock one to sleep. These are storytellin’ songs, accompanied only by thumb piano on one track, “Too Much On Our Minds,” that let the guitar lead the way as the lyrics unfold. In collaboration, The Elk and GSS benefit from one another, the guitar play creating fullness and intricacy, while backing-vocal duties enhance. The Elk’s harmonies on “Golden Gate” soften the harsh delivery of the other’s low register, while on “The Salton Sea” GSS adds density with his haunting and disturbing murmurs. The songs on The Lost Hour are thoughtful and lovely; the thing to remember is that in the case of such distinctive vocals, one either enjoys them or they do not.