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Elly Roberts reviews
XL Recordings
- October 2007
- Rating: 4/10
Son of Psycho releases debut album.
Elvis Perkins, son of Anthony Perkins who tragically died of AIDS andmother actress photographer Berry Berenson who was killed on the AmericanAirlines Flight 11 from Boston to LA on 9/11, has plenty to say. Their deathshave clearly impacted on him.
Young Elvis began playing sax, then guitar and wrote poetry which morphed intolyrics later on. Inevitably, theres a deep sense of melancholy permeatingAsh Wednsday. Using a folky downbeat template, it can become overwhelminglydepressing, but one has to look at the background, if you are able to do so.
This is not the kind of album youll readily pass on to your chums and say,“Wow this brilliant”, because it isnt.
Some songs are quite accessible, others are too personal and indulgent forgeneral consumtion, though he has an ever growing fanbase. Somber While YouWere Sleeping is segued by a more uplifting shuffle for All The Night Without Love.His voice is uncertain and hesitant, though some sprighty gypsy tinged violinrasies the stakes.
A bit of fun emerges throughout May Day, a sort of light crunchy rocker(dirty guitars) that would please Neil Young any day, whereas wet ballad It’sOnly Me passes without registering any kind of conviction, principally dueto lack lustre singing. Again his singing doesnt shine on Emiles Vietnam InThe Sky but more gypsy violin compenstates on the best track of the album,with Its A Sad World After All coming a close second even though itsdripping with sadness and classy backups by Janeen Sawyer.
Closer Good Friday is spooky. Haunting piano and harmonium add to thechilling atmosphere.
Not a great debut – some interesting moments in places. Elvis Perkins has along way to go, thats if he can shake off the past.
Weblinks:elvisperkins.net /xlrecordings.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. While You Were Sleeping
2. All The Night Without Love
3. May Day
4. Moon Woman 11
5. Its Only Me
6. Emiles Vietman In The Sky
7. Ash Wednesday
8. The Night & The Liquor
9. Its A Sad World after All
10. Sleep Sandwich
11. Good Friday
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.