Elvis Perkins In Dearland: Elvis Perkins in Dearland

The third-most-famous singer named Elvis has hired some permanent players, and this record marks a grand union that sounds more like a band’s debut than a melancholy singer/songwriter’s follow-up. With 2007’s stripped-down Ash Wednesday, Perkins proved he could write a damn fine song. Here, he dresses his music in full regalia—with whistles, horns, organs and marching-band drums—and it’s exquisite. These tunes evoke early Americana—dancing around campfires at a time when European holdovers were still the main force steering our culture. Perkins hasn’t lost his grit; he’s just given it bold new life. Soulful footstomper “I’ll Be Arriving” would make Tom Waits proud, and “Send My Fond Regards To Lonelyville” feels like a clever adieu to the Perkins of yesteryear.

Listen to Elvis Perkins in Dearland on the band’s MySpace page.