Element of Light

AMG Review of Element of Light

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Element of Light, Hitchcock's second studio album with the Egyptians, remains one of his finest moments and offers a convincing argument for his talents as a pop craftsman. Using John Lennon's work for Revolver and The Beatles as a template, Hitchcock wrote an elegant set of songs for Element of Light, songs that contained all of his cryptic lyrical sensibilities, yet featured more refined melodies and song structures. The Egyptians play with a subtle grace, moving between the stately "Winchester" and light psychedelia of "If You Were a Priest" to the bracing attack of "Tell Me About Your Drugs" with ease. While it sacrifices some of the edgy tension of Hitchcock's earlier work, Element of Light is his most melodic and eerily beautiful record. [In 2008, Yep Roc released a new edition of Element of Light which included the original album re-mastered, six bonus cuts (four of which had never seen the light of day) and expanded packaging.]