Elk & Boar

“(Columbia City Theater) Elk and Boar are a newish Tacoma band (they were formerly known as Kristen and Travis, which makes them sound like a 1970s variety show) that is shaping up to get some huge attention in 2011. The key word here is “harmonies.” He (Travis? Boar?) has a nice, somewhat gravelly voice, like Bonnie Prince Billy without the air quotes. She (Kirsten? Elk?) sounds delicate yet sturdy, like a less vampy Dolly Parton. Their voices wrap together like velvet and burnished wood, and they sprinkle spare strings around everything. Quality songwriters, Elk and Boar are up-and-comers precisely because they sound like they’ve been doing this for decades.” PAUL CONSTANT