Have you ever first listened to a band and said "Once they nail down their sound, these guys will sound great"? Well, Elephants has nailed down their sound, and their sound is good–very good. I reviewed a disc of theirs, The Sea EP, in 2011 and was impressed by their brand of low-fi, punk-inspired rock. A couple years later, they’ve still got that sound, but it’s much more refined and clean-cut, while still retaining an intense energy. Elephants’ most recent effort, a self-titled album, reflects changes both in the band’s musical quality, and the makeup of the band in general. The solos are more technical, the rhythm is tight–overall it’s a great sound. I think what really makes this record is that the band really filled out their songs–instead of sticking with their two-guitar format, Elephants added bass and drums on this record, beefing up the sound and really maxing-out the potential of their songs. The vocals provided by front-woman Lauren Garant are somehow catchy, uplifting, indifferent and jaded all at the same time. Quite an interesting combination, but a great combination nonetheless. If you have a spare minute (or twenty), head on over to those-elephants.bandcamp.com and give Elephants a listen. The band will also be performing live at The Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain on July 5. -Daniel McMahon