Elvis Perkins | Creation Myths
(Petaluma Records)
ElvisPerkinsSound.net
Creation Myths embraces the frolic of British-influenced '60s psychedelia replete with front-seat, McCartney-like bass lines and the languid darkness of a Lennonesque voice and imagery. The production by Sam Cohen (White Denim, Danger Mouse, Rhett Miller) is sublime, bestowing some old-time country to the gentle hallucinogenic drift with his contributions on pedal steel. Delving into familiar themes of loss and life, Elvis Perkins's prose is provocative, but relatable. Accentuated by prominent horn and nimble piano interplay throughout, his voice belies a soothing affect to the dynamic arrangements. Becoming delightfully untethered at times, the vocals afford a human frailty to music already swaddled in flesh and bone. The resulting vibe leaves us somewhere near the corner of Donovan and A Clockwork Orange.
A person's past may not always imbibe the precarious nature of creativity, but in this case it is hard not to imagine the effect of one's parents, their art and souls. The Germantown-based singer-songwriter is the son of actor Anthony Perkins, best known for his role in Psycho, and his mother, notable photographer and actress Berry Berenson, perished in the tragic flames of 9/11. If life is suffering, as the recent past informs us, our reaction to it is instrumental in determining the fate of our future lives. Elvis Perkins has directed these intense energies into an artful collage of mood and movement that simultaneously welcomes the listener to just lose themselves and enjoy. From "See Through": "Leave me alone with my headphones, I'll be alright."
