Elvis Perkins – Ash Wednesday
Can you imagine Song, by Toad not being a smart arse? No, me neither. Elvis Perkins – not an arch comedy name even – was born in ’75, the same year as myself and my midget lady companion. His father, Anthony Perkins, played the lead in Hitchcock’s legendary Psycho and died of AIDS in ’92. His mother, a professional photographer, was on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Centre on 11th September 2001. Can you think of anything clever to say about that, because I certainly bloody can’t. Fucking awful.
To his credit, Mr. Perkins has emerged to make a really quite excellent album of folk-pop melancholy. Liberally enhanced with piano sometimes with violin and only occasionally with brass, this is a touching and beautifully written journey of an album. It seems to wander along a private path, exploratory and introverted, but rarely losing its pop sensibilities. For all the emotional stories he tells, Mr. Perkins has a knack for a cheerfully memorable tune that turns Ash Wednesday into a wonderful push-and-pull between cheerful folk-pop and solo confessional. Not all of the songs are brilliant, but there is an awful lot on this album that many have tried to do before and never done it half as well as he does.
It’s not consistent, but it’s often brilliant. The best songs on this are as good as I’ve heard for a long while, and he deserves to be watched, for Monsieur Perkins obviously has talent in spades. Good lad.
Elvis Perkins – While You Were Sleeping
Elvis Perkins – Emile’s Vietnam in the Sky
Enjoyed his live show quite a bit when he came through town too. Good record.
It is isn’t it? I mean, it’s all pretty standard singer/songwriter stuff but there are some great songs on this CD. I’m always a wee bit impressed when someone can walk such a well-trodden path and still do something really engaging with it.
I LOVE this album. Thanks for helping spred the Perkins word.
Well I’d sort of seen the name around the internet for a while before I decided to systematically track his songs down and give them a go. Really, really good though.
[...] was pretty complimentary about Elvis Perkins’ forthcoming album (recent album, if you’re in God Bless America) but maybe not as complimentary as I may have [...]