Nicholas DiSalvo and Michael Risberg of Elder eschew heavy riffs and foray into psychedelic and progressive territory on their side project’s debut from 2014. In 2013, DiSalvo was approached to do an acoustic performance at an art gallery in Providence, Rhode Island by friends from the local scene. Unsure of how to make quiet music, he enlisted the help of friend Michael Risberg - at the time not yet a member of Elder - to write some material for the gig. After a few songwriting ses- sions between Providence and Boston, Gold and Silver was born. What was originally intended to be acoustic was quickly amplified as the group formed a full live lineup and fleshed out their set. Two of the songs from this original catalyst concert make up the A and B sides of Azurite and Malachite, recorded in 2014 in a single day at a friend’s recording studio in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The al- bum’s A-side Azurite is the length- ier of the two songs, moving deftly between passages of Mellotron- laden, hypnotic rock and progres- sive breakdowns. On Malachite, a slowly developing, melancholy melody makes way for waves of increasing intensity crashing over it, concluding in a dirty and chaotic crescendo. Azurite and Malachite is a harbinger of the progressive and experimental elements in Elder’s modern sound, but remains very much its own unique project with its own voice. In 2018, DiSalvo and Risberg re- vived the band and began making plans for a new record and more shows. Accordingly, Stickman is re-releasing Azurite and Mala- chite, which has been out of print for some time. The record has been mastered for vinyl for the first time ever by Carl Saff and is available on 180 gram, tricolor marbled vinyl including download code.
