Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Singer, songwriter, and John Lennon look alike Elvis Perkins hails from both New York and Los Angeles and it's this bi-coastal residency that gives his songs a certain degree of style that so many folk artists lack. The dynamic and influence of both sides of the country reflect on his songs as they are one part intimate and one part hustle and bustle. It's an interesting dichotomy that leads his latest album Elvis Perkins in Dearland from being a minimal morose folk album to something that's far more energetic and interesting.

Mr. Perkins writes grandiose folk songs that come off as something like the Decemberists meeting Leonard Cohen on the plains of Missouri. Elvis Perkins in Dearland is graceful and sweet and touches your heart as Perkins weaves tales about death, love, and tragedy. He does all this in such a manner that it never becomes overwrought or downtrodden. In fact, it's just the opposite, Elvis Perkins in Dearland is an absolute joy to listen to. Sure it's Americana and folk but it's created with a sense of rustic charm and uses just about every kind of instrumentation known to man that makes it far from dull. Perkins leaves you feeling as though the record is from another time and another place when life was much simpler and more heartfelt.

With songs that sound like funeral dirges, Dixieland jazz warped through folk, and a whole host of traditional American sounds, Elvis Perkins in Dearland is a musical history lesson made for modern times. Elvis Perkins might be a tad bit grim at times but he is a gifted songwriter whose bi-coastal influences have helped shaped him into who he is and allows him to make his bad experiences palatable. Elvis Perkins in Dearland might not be the feel good hit of the summer but it's easily amongst the few with the most heart.