After several years of playing around the country with established folk-rock artists such as Okkervil River and Matt Costa, Elvis Perkins has finally released his debut album, Ash Wednesday-just in time for the real thing. It is an album dripping with sorrow, and at just 31, Perkins has already experienced enough for a lifetime-losing his father to AIDS at 17 and his mother Sept. 11 2001.
Perkins' pain is tangible, but Ash Wednesday still plays like a folk album you've heard before. Sad songs flow into sadder songs, which pause briefly for one or two failed attempts at joy, before giving way to sadder lullabies. Moreover, Perkins lacks originality and seems unwilling to take the risks that made Bright Eyes and Elliott Smith indie-folk stars.
This is not to say no track on the album stands out. The opener, "While You Were Sleeping," is a must-hear for anyone who has ever lain awake gazing at the utter beauty of a sleeping lover.
If you can't stand an album that reminds you of your own heartbreak, skip this one. But if you are someone who privately longs for some time to rest and remember the memories you've repressed, give Ash Wednesday a try.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.