Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Elvis Perkins in Dearland: Show Giveaway


Elvis Perkins in Dearland is headlining a fantastic triple bill March 16 at Club Congress (next Monday), and I have a couple pairs of passes to give away, courtesy of the folks at XL Recordings.

On Tuesday, March 3, Elvis Perkins In Dearland premiered their new self-titled album on Amie Street; the album only costs $8 and will help raise money for the Clearwater Foundation, Pete Seeger's charity that's focused on education, advocacy and celebration for the Hudson River Valley. Amie Street and Xl Recordings will each be donating $1 for every album downloaded (so $2 from every sale will go to the foundation). Go here to download and make a difference.

The album is less stark than Perkins debut, Ash Wednesday, which dealt with the emotional months after losing his mother in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Elvis Perkins In Dearland is a much more dynamic album, with far-flung instrumentation and a jaunty sound overall. It's rootsy and captivating, with "I Hear Your Voice In Dresden" using a thumping drum beat and walking bass line to build a celebratory pop chorus that recalls the Kinks. The album opener, "Shampoo," is a minor key tune that rides along an organ groove, with harmonic bursts and Perkins singing in a half-shout.

"Doomsday" opens with a stoic horn that turns upbeat as the drums and acoustic guitar kick in. It's a clever and tongue-in-cheek look at unrequited love. My brother pointed me to one line in particular: "And though you voted for that awful man, I would never refuse your hand, on Doomsday." He played that right after I put on Mose Allison's "Ever Since The World Ended," with its opening line finishing "I don't go out as much."

Also on the bill Monday are Delta Spirit, a soulful and sunny indie rock from San Diego, and Alela Diane, a Northern California singer-songwriter who draws comparisons to Joanna Newsome, but is more on the traditional folk end of the spectrum.

To win a pair of free passes to the show, simply leave a comment with your email address. Two winners will be selected at random on Friday, March 13.

DOWNLOAD:
Elvis Perkins in Dearland - Shampoo
Delta Spirit - Trash Can
Alela Diana - White As Diamonds

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