If you didn’t already know, Elf Power’s new record In a Cave has hit stores. It’s a really good album that combines some of my favorite elements of the band (Red King-style songwriting and the crunch and pop of Nothing’s Going to Happen production). So as good as it is, it should come as no surprise that the songs that didn’t make the record are still pretty fantastic. That’s why I’m thrilled to be able to offer an exclusive download of Elf Power’s “Venus and Mercury,” an unused song from the In a Cave sessions.

MP3: Elf Power - Venus and Mercury
I really have no idea why this didn’t make the record. Every piece of the song fits together so well that it’s easy to imagine it as a near-miss for the first single, not as a near-miss for album inclusion. It’s pretty much the opposite of the crunchier production style I spoke of earlier, but it’s head and shoulders above Back to the Web, which is probably where this song would fit in the best. It’s a slow, drifting song that makes me glad I’m listening to it at 3am.

Also, Elf Power will be playing a certain Chicago-based music festival this summer. Keep your eyes peeled for announcements…