Friday, October 23, 2009

Elvis Perkins in Dearland


It seems that Saturday evening walks are the best time for IPod listening of new artists. I think there is something almost primordial to listen to songs by their songwriters. I have been listening to the Doomsday EP and his Daytrotter session and have been fully captivated. There are only ten songs between them but they are lean and strong. And there is this great range of styles and topics. I bet Joe Strummer would love this guy.

"Known for their wide range of dynamics and eclectic instrumentation, Elvis Perkins in Dearland have frequently drawn comparisons to Leonard Cohen, Neutral Milk Hotel, Buddy Holly and The Band." But I don't know what the hell Neutral Milk Hotel is so I have to Wikilink to that one. For the record they are southern psychedelic folk band. Elvis' voice has more range than liked name predecessors Presley and Costello. He is kind of an encyclopedia of great folk singer songwriter and rock and roll. And he brings it out in his singing but never in a cornball way. I hear Leonard Cohen as well, but also Donavon, The Waterboys guy, The Pogues mixed with Velvets but at other times an Everly Brothers or Johnny Cash at Sun.

But meanwhile let's get back to Elvis Perkins and his band Elvis Perkins in Dearland. I'm really digging the inventiveness of this band. On The lead track of the Doomsday EP. He sounds kind of like he is inside a minature megaphone, but not in a Tom Waits way. Gypsy Davy comes next and Perkins sounds a lot like Harry Nillson. I love it when a good artist takes on an old folk standard and paints a new picture. This version is kind of like Charles Russell on acid.

A highlight Emile's Vietnam in The Sky on the Daytrotter session. I guess in his case he could have called it the Deartrotter session.

jean cocteau is covered in butter
the ghosts of cappucino and zaza hover
in the hallway where the devil and his lover
beg you for change on the slide
there's nothing really like a french blues
blown by an unknown soldier in you
to all your regrets and you rouse
i'll meet you down there when i try

and do you ever wonder where you go when you die?
emile's vietnam in the sky


Yes folks, I was captivated. And then a miraculous thing happend. Maybe one of the most miraculous things in my Wikipedia experience. It was the next paragraph: "Perkins is the son of actor Anthony Perkins. He was raised in Los Angeles, California, and New York City with his older brother, actor Oz Perkins. Perkins is a great-grandson of the fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli and a nephew of the actress Marisa Berenson. " And then later, "on September 11, 2001, when his mother, a passenger on the ill-fated American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles, perished in the attack on New York City's twin towers, a day before the ninth anniversary of his father's death." His Father was Norman Bates. I had no idea.

Now his music is taking on a whole other dimension with that knowledge. You can't help but psychobabble speculate on the roots of this great talent now that one knows it exists. So you can't help but want to say something dumbass stupid like He took that unique life of his and moved that into his vibrant burning thing. I imagine that term papers are already being cast about this guy.

Doomsday EP is available from emusic and I imagine I Tunes. But here's the link for the free Daytrotter session. I think they used to do embeds. I wanted to include that, but I assure you, it is worth visiting the link.
posted by well-executed buffet at 7:59 PM
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