These Shoes Are Made For Rocking: OEA Rips Into 2017

Oliver Elf Army sound amped up.

On their new single “Black Nikes” the duo chants the code “C/1995 01” over a distorted guitar riff and thudding kick drum. The vocal lick is reference to the scientific name for the Hale-Bopp comet that passed our planet in 1997.

“All I wanted to do was explore space with you,” opens Martin Adams in a line that sounds innocuous at first.

From there the off-kilter love song marches through imagery culled from the infamous Heaven’s Gate UFO cult—matching sneakers, applesauce, and ancient astronauts—before dissolving into ambient noise. The track is about love and death. It’s funny and dark and singable.

Tongue in cheek pop culture lyrics? Check. Fuzzed-out guitar and pounding rhythm? Check.

Everett’s premier “sinister pop” band is at it again.

2017 looks to be a busy year for Mary and Martin Adams, the married couple behind the OEA moniker.

Two weeks ago they played a showcase of Everett bands at the Blue Moon Tavern in Seattle.

This Saturday they will be performing their 2009 album Songs in F & G live in its entirety at the Black Lab Gallery. The record is a conceptual song cycle about the quirky TV show Freaks and Geeks.

Next month OEA’s new record Telescope EP drops with a live release party at Anchor Pub.

The cover of the new release from Oliver Elf Army: Telescope EP.

Telescope was recorded at the home of Tellers singer/guitarist Sarah Feinberg by Simon Nicol (of the band Leava) and Alex Taschereau of Chartreuse Muffin Studio.

“[Simon and Alex] know our sound really well,” says Martin. The working rapport between OEA and their producers helped to create a rock and roll album that plain sounds better (like “night and day” in terms of audio quality) compared to their 2016 record The Mystery of the Booty Warrior.

This sort of collaboration among local musicians is typical of the Everett music scene.

Oliver Elf Army’s motto, “Everett ‘til the grave,” is emblazoned on the band’s t-shirts. The Adams say that this city provides young bands a healthy environment in which to develop their own sound.

“Listen to Everett Sounds Volume # 1,” says Martin. “Every band on that album sounds different. It’s not just the flavor of the week. That’s what a healthy music scene sounds like.”

As established states-persons of the local music biz, OEA consciously make an effort to cultivate young talent and create social change.

Last year they organized and curated a “Punk the Vote” show featuring ten Everett music acts as well as live speakers urging political action.

Mary volunteers for the Rain City Rock Camp, a nonprofit dedicated to building positive self-esteem in girls and encouraging creative expression through music.

I ask the Adams about what Milltown bands they admire these days. They immediately start listing them off: Sleepover Club, Crystal Desert, I Will Keep Your Ghost, Fauna Shade.

“Wait! I don’t want to leave anyone out,” interjects Mary.

Subtext: there’s a lot of really good acts coming out of our city in 2017; so many that it’s hard to remember them all.

That’s a good place to be at.

“We want to foster [young bands] and see them successful,” Mary sums up. “That’s exciting.”

The Telescope EP will be released March 11th, 2017. It can be purchased via OEA’s Bandcamp page. Physical copies will be available at the release party as well as Black Lab Gallery.