Listen to: Chains Chains Chains
Elvis Perkins released his debut studio album, Ash Wednesday in 2007. His band, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, includes multi-instrumentalists Brigham Brough (bass,vocals, saxophone), Wyndham Boylan-Garnett (organ, harmonium, trombone, guitar, vocals) and Nick Kinsey (drums, clarinet, vocals).
I saw them in Austin, TX during SXSW and bought a CD after the show not anticipating the extent to which the music would grow on me. In order to fully appreciate it, I suggest listening to the nuances in his voice, the eclectic instrumentation and the unusual melodies. This album sounds like it’s right out of the early 1970s, accompanying The Band, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan in the record stacks at your local music store.
Upon further research I learned that Elvis Perkins is the son of actor Anthony Perkins who died in 1992 of complications related to AIDS and photographer Berry Berenson who was a passenger on one of the September 11th flights that attacked New York City’s twin towers. Knowing that, the music seems to take on new meaning. I pondered whether to include that personal information in this post as I’m writing about his music and not his personal history but is it fair to say that the two are inextricably linked?
2 responses so far ↓
Jon Lester // April 22, 2009 at 7:07 am |
If anyone’s bio speaks of destiny, that one does. Hard to take that as mere coincidence.
meandthebee // October 3, 2009 at 3:05 pm |
just wrote something on my blog about ep. it led me to yours. can’t agree more with the power of his voice. so beautiful, like from another time and place. the band is truly amazing live as well.