Elsinore

There's no denying that Elsinore ooze confidence on third album Yes Yes Yes. There's barely a tentative moment on the entire record, and that's the problem. Singer Ryan Groff's voice has an operatic quality to it, crooning over songs in a way reminiscent of forgotten '90s British band Geneva, a comparison that applies equally to much of the music. He has a great falsetto that he can pull out when a song needs that little extra to push it over the top, and it's devastatingly effective when used sparingly, heightening the sense of drama. Unfortunately, Elsinore always wants it to be about the drama, and Yes Yes Yes doesn't pace itself. There's no respite to the grandiosity and while that's okay when accompanied by a sing-along chorus, it gets tedious during the less memorable moments. Every song is turned into a multi-layered, multi-part epic full of twists and turns that inevitably overstay their welcome. And it's too bad, because the good moments are very enjoyable, for as long as they last.