Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Elvis Perkins in Dearland – Slow Doomsday from the forthcoming The Doomsday EP (Oct 20th)

MP3: Elvis Perkins in Dearland – Doomsday from Elvis Perkins in Dearland (2009)

Elvis Perkins in Dearland follow hot on the heels of their excellent self-titled release with word of an EP to flesh out the periphery of their ringleader’s musical vision, things that may have gotten left on the cutting room floor.

The Doomsday EP centers on a wondrous re-working of the already awe-inspiring ebullience found in “Doomsday,” a highlight from Elvis Perkins in Dearland.  With “Slow Doomsday,” you immediately know what to expect technically: a largo rendition of the eponymous track.  Beyond this, we find the more measured version brings us closer to the gospel roots of the track with its wide and stately expansion of sound and space.  The extra time on each and every note brings out untold levels of soul, wringing every last glorious feeling from each tone.  The coasting, newly formed solos are heartfelt and bracing testimonials, affirming Perkins soaring vocals in full affetuoso.

I would highly recommend you check out his live show, and keep Oct 20th on your calendars for a trip to the record store for this EP.

Check some videos after the jump.

Read the rest…

One of the most strikingly beautiful videos, tracked to one of the most ebullient songs in the past few years. The horns are positively brilliant, and Elvis Perkins remains one of the best songwriters around, able to capture both radiant joy and nostalgic regret in a single note.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Elvis Perkins – May Day!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Elvis Perkins in Dreamland – Doomsday

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Those Darlins – Wild One

All photos: Greg Szeto

Not to be reductionist by any means, but if you’ve ever wondered whether riot grrl attitude would mesh well with honky-tonk country, look no farther than Tennessee’s Those Darlins.  Much more than that simple formula, they now stand as one of my top 5 favorite finds in an opening act over the past few years.  A commanding presence, immensely catchy music bolstered by tight playing.  A country-fried approach that goes beyond a simple aesthetic, something clearly oozing out of their pores and roots, they present a vital take on country that is fresh and electric.

My ears have suffered far too long under sterilized country radio, and clearly, they feel the same way: their sound is rooted in that of traditional country pillars like the Carter Family, and reflects the common bond that first brought them together and fueled their musical mission.  Their stage chemistry is phenomenal and exudes a perfect mix of sassy sexuality and confidence.  Their sound has grown greatly from their simpler roots, embracing blues and garage rock swagger and riffage to make their music deadly and more immediate than a boot to the nuts. They just released their debut LP and it’s a rollicking good time.  I would say they are a don’t miss act if ever you see them coming through your neck of the woods.

Elvis Perkins is now, in my mind, one of the unquestionably great singer/songwriters to emerge in the past decade.  He is as affecting and intimate as he is versatile and showmanlike.  My first exposure to him was opening for Okkervil River the last time they stopped by the Ottobar. He made them look like amateurs.  Perkins then was on the heels of his mournful LP Ash Wednesday, and was moving beyond words.  Effectively, an emotional demolitions expert.

His latest, self-titled LP, is a more balanced and lush affair, bright but only in contrast to Ash, and never excessively so.  He truly wows with his gorgeous aural textures and penchant for diverse instrumentation and sounds.  What’s more astounding is that he manages to effectively transport all this to the live experience, his backing band rallying about him as they hop around the stage with horns and drums in tow, blaring (highlights: “Shampoo,” “Doomsday”).  An ebullient and engaging affair that feels like going to see the musical equivalent of an acrobatic circus.  The show brought to mind the magnitude of childlike wonder that Sigur Ros effuses, but with a heaping dose of world-weary maturity and sagacity.

It would seem that Perkins has traded in some of his crushing emotional weight for a more whimsical bent, and it is a welcome bit of leavening.  Some his earlier work suffers with these changes, losing much of their resonance (“While you were sleeping”); thankfully, others take new life (“May Day”).  From all this, the overall impression you walk away left with is that you’ve witnessed something undeniably special, and you can’t help but wonder where Perkins will take us next.
Read the rest…

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Elvis Perkins in Dearland – Doomsday

After many attempts to categorize the folk genre, I have found it impossible to pigeonhole such a broad spectrum of music. Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan may have paved the way for the male vocalist, but the breed of folk sound has evolved with popular taste.

In his first release since Ash Wednesday’s debut in 2007, Elvis Perkins released his sophomore album on March 10 2009, titled after his live band: Elvis Perkins in Dearland.  Although the record drops traces of indie folk rock influences, the singer-songwriter leaves plenty of room for the spoken word. His lyrics flow more in the form of poetry than verse-refrain, marinating in tender prose of allusion and symbolism:

Read the rest…

So…fancy yourself a Daytrotter fan? Well they’ve got nothing on these guys. Welcome to Thunderdome. The gauntlet has been laid, my dear friends.

The gist is this: grab your favorite indie artists, including Spoon, Daniel Johnston, Okkervil River the National, and Elvis Perkins…stick them in the back of a cab and have them play. Whilst driving around. Genius.

In other news…Beach House’s record release went swimmingly last night at the G-Spot. Check out their latest video, just released, for track “Heart of Chambers” after the jump.
Read the rest…