The Doomsday EP by Elvis Perkins
By JasonK • Dec 17th, 2009 • Category: Music Reviews
Released by XL Recordings
There is nothing about Elvis Perkins that sounds modern. There are no synths, no polish or sheen. By avoiding the lure to be modern or to sound cutting edge, Elvis Perkins creates something that is becoming rare in today’s music industry: a solidly crafted and well-played album based on true musicianship.
The Doomsday EP is a no-frills album steeped in musical styles ranging from early 20th century folk, ’60s mysticism to ’50s rock and some ’70s soul. It is an album soundly rooted in strong American traditions. However, it doesn’t overly play on these sounds in an attempt to recreate some bygone era; instead, Elvis Perkins deftly uses the language from these times to say something new. For some, this album might be easy to dismiss as too folk, too quaint or too retro.
In the description for The Doomsday EP, Elvis Perkins says that the band has “subconsciously produced a collection speaking to/and or from several [facets of the American strain] at once.” For anyone with a minor knowledge of traditional American music (or someone who has seen O Brother, Where Art Thou?), this album should be a well-worn path of familiar sounds and themes.
The best example would be Weeping Mary. It starts out like a Mountain country hymnal: a few strains of guitar under a group acapella singing, “They crucified the Savior.” It does a nice turn into a sing-a-long with drums, harmonies and guitars, which gives it a fun, upbeat feel that feels it would be at home at a Saturday morning beginner’s folk session. “Stop Drop Rock and Roll” and “Stay Zombie Stay” are more steeped in 1950s-style rock’n’roll, with “Stop Drop Rock and Roll” sounding like a barroom band playing at a roadhouse. “Stay Zombie Stay” has a great chilled-out feel driven by treble guitar and a reverb voice.
The two strongest songs are the first two cuts: “Doomsday” and “Gypsy Davy.” As the first track, “Doomsday starts off with a slow, dying horn that is almost funeral-like. It draws into a nice Van Morrison Astral Weeks beat. Just as it seems this will be a folk-jam, the horn comes in with a sped-up tempo that gives it a marching band sound. “Gypsy Davy” has the quality of an otherworldly folk chant. The vocals draw in and out that borders between a lament and a warning. The atmosphere is like a underground religious ceremony buried deep in New Orleans lore.
An album such as The Doomsday EP is not explore new musical ground. There is nothing here that a well-rounded listener hasn’t heard before in mid-20th century American music. Should Elvis Perkins be judged more harshly because he uses sounds and styles from another time? No, he doesn’t. Not all music needs to be new or novel to be considered good. Elvis Perkins sings about familiar themes and uses imagery and lyrics that are easily digestible by the listener. This could be seen as a copout, but the album is decidedly solid and in parts terrific. It’s best for the serious music listener that likes harmonies, guitar licks, multi-instrumentalists, and musicians plying their craft.
