Customer Reviews

ASH WEDNESDAY [Vinyl]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It seems impossible for me to come up with one negative thing to say about this album. It is fantastic. I bought it basically on a whim, not knowing who he was aside from a brief interview I read, not hearing but a small clip of his music. I do this sort of thing all the time with varying degrees of success; but sometimes you just get lucky. For me, this isn't just a good cd that I will enjoy from time to time, but rather the kind I will be listening to non-stop for a good couple of months. The melodies are beautiful and the lyrics are intelligent. Though the themes are heavy at times, this is not a bleak album.

I hate to compare artists but the Donovan meets Cohen comparison is pretty spot-on with a little Rufus Wainwright and Nick Drake tossed in. But rather than comparing him to David Gray (as the Amazon review did), I would much sooner put him in the Badly Drawn Boy category. Above all though, he is a unique voice and has created a stunning debut album. I would recommend Ash Wednesday to anyone who seeks out great music.

Here's to hoping Elvis Perkins will be making great music for years to come.

This is the most moving music I've heard in a very long time. Brilliant songwriting, heartfelt singing, interesting instrumentation. A feeling of wonder and even joy shines through these songs, despite the underlying sadness. This is an unbeatable combination that engages my deepest feelings. I can't wait for the next Elvis Perkins cd.

It's hard for me to come up with any words other than "amazing" to describe Elvis Perkins' new release, Ash Wednesday . When I first got my copy, I had to listen to it in it's entirety 3 times in a row. The first time I just listened to the music and how each song flowed together. The second time I payed special attention to the lyrics. The third time was simply because I was smitten and wanted to continue to feel all the feelings it left me with. It takes a special talent to make you feel heartbroken and hopeful all at once. And actually, I have to thank him for that. The subject matter of some of his songs is so deep, it would be easy to turn that into depressing. Instead, there were times amidst the darkness that I felt joyful. Bravo.

A very impressive album - transcendent music and lyrics on most of the tracks, and the others are solid. My favorite tracks on the album are "While You Were Sleeping", "Moon Woman II", and "Ash Wednesday". It's the type of album that is enjoyable on the first listen, but that gets even better as you listen to it more. I would highly recommend this one.

Elvis Perkins has accomplished an amazing feat. He made me believe that music can be touching and personal again. I have not heard better written songs since, well, any Bob Dylan song. Now, I'm not saying that I'm ready to put him in the same category as Bob Dylan (Dylan is God). What I am saying is, he could, in the future, possibly be as great as Dylan.
This album is as personal as a bunch of songs can be. To fully understand, let me give you a little history on the man.
His dad was Academy Award nominee Anothony Perkins (Norman Bates from Psycho). His mom was a photographer named Berry Berenson. His extended family is also quite interesting (I'm not writing a biography here). Anyway, his father died of AIDS in 1992. His mother died in a plane that crashed into the World Trade Center. This is a man with a lot of stuff to write about.
Anyway, like I said, I'm not writing his biography here. I'm just saying that this is an amazing album, written by an amazing songwriter with a very sad history. Forget that, though. Forget that his parents died. This album isn't so depressing that you'll call your mom and cry about how much you wish you hadn't forgotten her birthday. It's actually very uplifting.
I'm tired of writing. I just hope you give this album a chance.

We had to wait some time for his debut album that took seven years to perfect, but perfect it he did.
The tragic family history - father was Psycho Psycho (Collector's Edition) actor Anthony Perkins, who died of an Aids-related illness in 1992, while his mother died almost a decade later in the 2001 World Trade Center attacks - drapes itself over the songs without sounding too melancholy.
"While You Were Sleeping" is lullaby loveliness and during "Emile's Vietnam In The Sky" he insists "take better care of your heart".
This is the album to do just that and if you don't adore it, you didn't have a heart to start with.
Perkins is unwillling to admit his debut album is informed by some tragic pivate pivotal events. 'I don't want anyone to think that the songs are autobiographical,' he told an American journalist in March. This, unquestionably, is disingenuous: quite apart from the title itself - 9/11 was a Tuesday - "Ash Wednesday" is awash with references to loss, whether it's the anguished howl of the title track ('No one will survive Ash Wednesday alive/ No soldier, no lover, no sister, no brother') or the self-explanatory "It's a Sad World After All". "Stay if you want/ There is enough sadness for the both of us", sings Perkins, the soul of a blues crooner circa 1930 encased within the torso of a 31-year-old.
It would be perverse to avoid mention of Elvis Perkins's biography, however much the singer/songwriter might protest that it hasn't directly informed thisalbum.
"Ash Wednesday" is forged from a bleak, brittle desolation that can sometimes make these drowsily atmospheric folky songs feel top-heavy.
Still, this unashamed melancholia reaps great rewards on tracks such as "Moon Woman II" and "Emile's Vietnam In The Sky", while unexpected flavours such as the bongos, percussion and fiddles on "All The Night Without Love" and the lovely liquid chords of "The Night And The Liquor" leaven an atmosphere that can verge a bit on the oppressive.

Many things can go wrong with albums from unknown artists. I was not sure what to expect when I bought Elvis Perkin's Ash Wednesday, but I am very glad I bought it! Solid lyrics, solid instrumentation, strong voice, there is not much to lack in Ash Wednesday. With the addition of electric guitar on some tracks, and other instruments, Elvis Perkins really is able to show off his skill. The tracks are anything but boring, but are anything but pop-ish, with the additions of the other instruments. They are simply good. And the lyrics really are just amazing. With his history, being Anthony Perkin's son, and having to deal with a lot of death, from what I've read on him, Elvis Perkin's history makes this albums even more profound.

Very few albums win me over instantly. After a couple of plays the songs start to catch and become more familiar, and then it becomes something I regularly enjoy. Ash Wednesday, however, won me over the moment that need touched the vinyl.
The opening track, 'While You Were Sleeping,' sees instruments such as a double bass, the sweet sounds of Perkins' acoustic guitar, and 'uh oh' sayers. And as the track unfolds you are welcomed with a kettle, moog, harmonica, and more.
Perkins' songwriting skills and musicianship are solid through this entire album, making Ash Wednesday a debut album that could be put up against the likes of Damien Rice's O. Elvis Perkins is a must have for any music lover's library.

Elvis Perkins is something else. I can't wait until he puts out more stuff. I'll buy anything he releases. There is depth, beauty, and profound lyrics on his two CDs thus far. Perkins has been through a lot, and his music shows his talent and maturity. If this is the kind of music my generation is making, then we should count ourselves lucky. Thanks, Elvis.

While I have never seen him perform, I understand that Elvis Perkins puts on an electrifying show. That said, against my own rules, I got this album because of one song, "While You Were Sleeping". This particular piece starts off as a pleasant lulabye. It builds to an exciting crescendo and then fades back into a sweet serenading lulabye. A sheer delight!

Buying a CD because of one number is 95% of the time a mistake for me because usually the one song I enjoy ends up being the only song I enjoy. Like his father, the late Anthony Perkins, Elvis has a certain michevous mirth in his personna. As well, he can seem mystical and somewhat mythical with both his musical personality and his seemingly exotic lyrics. Allof this is apparent on each of the tracks on "Ash Wednesday", as illustrated by the CD's title.