Elvis Perkins In Dearland - The Doomsday EP

Fans of Elvis Perkins’ somber, melancholy drenched sound are certainly going to gravitate towards ‘The Doomsday EP’, not only because the title track is taken from his brilliantly dour full-length ‘Elvis Perkins In Dearland’, but also due to the fact that these new songs, born mostly on the road while touring with his band, show how his sound continues to broaden and evolve. The six song EP features three brand new songs, as well as a take on the traditional folk song ‘Gypsy Davy’, and a slower reworking of the title track, here titled ‘Slow Doomsday’. It an exquisite slice of where Perkins head is at currently, and reflects an artist that, like Bob Dylan and many others before him, is able to add new meaning and significance to a song simply by reshaping it. The two versions of ‘Doomsday’ are naturally the centerpieces on this release, and both of the songs are so radically different from each other that the listener will be hard pressed to recognize similarities between the two.

The original version starts with sorrowful horns, before erupting in a celebratory cacophony that belies the surly subject matter-almost as if Perkins knows the world is going to end, but damn if he’s not going to fiddle away while Rome burns anyway. But the new, ‘Slow’ version has more of a solemn, gospel type sound that has hints of U2’s ‘Love Rescue Me’, layered throughout the phrasing and the melody. Both are gorgeous ruminations on the mercurial state of the world, and only serve to compliment each other through the distinct versions heard here. The traditional folk number ‘Gypsy Davy’ is bathed in fragile despair, and erupts in wailing guitars and violin that effectively brings across the anguish of the song.

‘Stay Zombie Stay’ is a playful ode to loving the undead, and brings a bit of jocular relief to the EP. ‘Stop Drop Rock And Roll’ is a raucous foot-stomper that really finds the band in fine form. It’s a straight ahead bluesy rock song, and shows how truly tight Perkins’ band has become while on the road together. After the rollicking good time of ‘Rock And Roll’, the band breaks it back down again with the spiritual ‘Weeping Mary’, that is steeped in both passion and emotion. As a whole, ‘The Doomsday EP’ really showcases the unique and varied talents of Elvis Perkins and his band, while also giving the listener a hint about the direction the band will be taking their sound in the future.