There’s nothing quite like an album that opens with a track titled ‘Whore’ and then follows it up with 15 equally original, albeit less insulting, track titles.
Born and raised in Detroit, Rollo Ellis has been playing in bands since he was 14-years-old. Amongst his vast history in the music industry, he’s played solo naked, traded in a Les Paul guitar for an acoustic, and numerous other interesting life events.
Aside from the 20 second shocker of ‘Whore’, Songs From Under the Stares actually has its own unique charm that manages to draw you in.
‘The Floor, The TV and The Phone’ is, believe it or not, a song written about an infomercial, amongst other relatable things. In this track, Rollo Ellis has effortlessly mastered the art of writing songs about things that everyone can appreciate.
Although an American originally, Rollo Ellis has embraced the Australian heritage and used didgeridoo in many of his songs, most memorably in ‘Magpie’.
The didgeridoo is just one of the elements that Rollo Ellis uses, as he also incorporates cello, harmonica, slide guitar and more. ‘Not Again’ has a perfect mix of these instruments and makes you want for the cello to be used all the time.
Listening to Songs From Under the Stares feels a little bit like listening to a diary entry played out to the sounds of a didgeridoo and acoustic guitar. So for those who are a bit nosier than the rest of us, this may just be your album.
Release: out now via independent release
Written by Amanda Sherring