The Greatscape Under the Earth and Above Heaven Reaches for Wonder

Written by Nate Kline in Sonic Journeys Music

Under the Earth and Above Heaven Reaches for Wonder

Elephants and Stars have always been a band with a knack for finding the sweet spot between heart-on-sleeve songwriting and the irresistible pull of big, melodic hooks. With their new album, Under the Earth and Above Heaven, they’ve not only refined that balance — they’ve expanded it. This is a record that feels fully realized, brimming with confidence yet grounded in sincerity, and it shows a band stretching beyond their comfort zone without losing the qualities that made them worth listening to in the first place.

From the first moments, Under the Earth and Above Heaven announces itself as something bold. The guitars are crisp and purposeful, the rhythms punch without overreaching, and the choruses stick in your head like they were built to live there. Tracks like “The Ceiling” and “Strangers on a Train” embody that road-trip energy — music that begs to be turned up loud with the windows down, somewhere between here and wherever you’re going next. It’s a sound that feels expansive, cinematic even, without becoming overproduced or losing its grit.

But this isn’t all anthems and adrenaline. The band knows how to give their music space to breathe. Between the louder moments, they slip in quieter, more reflective passages that allow the lyrics to land with even greater impact. These moments carry the weight of experience — not just telling stories, but inhabiting them. There’s a lived-in quality here, as if each song has been weathered by its own journey before finding its way to the listener.

Much of this dynamic is shaped by the production work of Ian Blurton. Known for his ability to bring out the essence of a rock band without sanding down its edges, Blurton gives Under the Earth and Above Heaven a sense of focus and intentionality. The arrangements feel tight but not restrictive, allowing every swell, break, and pause to hit exactly where it should. He helps the band tap into a sound that’s rich and layered without losing the raw connection that makes live music so thrilling.

Lyrically, the album captures that tension between movement and stillness — the restless urge to keep going, and the quiet truths you stumble upon when you stop for breath. Some songs look outward, mapping the landscapes of relationships, fleeting encounters, and long drives into the unknown. Others look inward, exploring the kind of personal reckonings that surface when the noise fades.

What’s striking is how naturally Elephants and Stars weave these moods together. One moment, you’re swept up in a hook-laden chorus that feels like an instant classic; the next, you’re sitting with a line that lingers, quietly reshaping the way you think about where you’ve been. It’s the mark of a band that trusts both their instincts and their audience — willing to go big without needing every moment to be big.

There’s also an undeniable sense of place running through the record. Without leaning on clichés, the music feels anchored in a distinctly Canadian sensibility — wide-open and unhurried, but still carrying an undercurrent of urgency. It’s in the way the guitars shimmer like sunlight on cold water, and in the way the melodies move with a steady, unforced pace that suggests they know exactly where they’re headed.

By the time the album closes, Under the Earth and Above Heaven has done more than deliver a set of great songs. It’s created a world you want to revisit — one where each listen uncovers a new detail, a hidden turn of phrase, or a moment of instrumental interplay you didn’t catch before. Elephants and Stars have crafted an album that’s both immediate and lasting, the kind of record that works its way into your life quietly and refuses to let go.

This is music built for the long haul. And if you haven’t pressed play yet, it’s probably time.

Under the Earth and Above Heaven Reaches for Wonder

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