New Releases: Lisa Germano, Elvis Perkins In Dearland – 10/06/09

Lisa Germano: “Magic Neighbor”

The first time I heard the ethereal, esoteric and often terrifying music of Lisa Germano on her CD “Happiness” in 1994 (through oversized headphones attached to my DiscMan), I was immediately addicted. Huge fans of anything 4AD, my friends and I were quick to grab up all we could as she released four fantastic records full of isolated, Kate Bush-meets-Ian Curtis-in-a-wooden-shack-in-Appalachia musical introspection on the British dream-pop label.

Then Germano seemed to just disappear. I’d heard once in a while that she was popping up here & there with some self-released stuff, but nothing ever seemed to catch my attention the way her early oeuvre did, and I figured she’d retired. Thank God I was wrong.

When I heard Lisa had been asked to join Michael Gira’s Young God Records (another label for which I have HUGE love and respect), I was ecstatic. And the first offering, 2006’s “In the Maybe World” seemed a beautiful launch back on the same genre-defying track Germano had forged earlier, but maybe even a little bit more isolated, childlike, while obviously the result of significant growth.

This year’s second Young God release, “Magic Neighbor,” released on September 29, is even more beautiful, and more accomplished, than the first. And it’s true, basic beauty, full of the same intriguing combination of beautiful composition, tragic melodies and enigmatic lyrics transport you to a place that’s cold and alone, but also warm with familiarity. Listen to the soft and brilliant “Snow,” and feel it for yourself:

[wpaudio url=”https://www.denverthread.com/wp-content/themes/mimbo/sounds/Snow.mp3″ text=”Lisa Germano – Snow”]

The artwork included with both the CD and LP releases is also breathtaking, and reflects pretty well the world I am personally transported to when listening to these 11 new songs.

Purchase “Magic Neighbor” online, from Young God Records

Elvis Perkins In Dearland: “Doomsday EP”

The fact that Elvis Perkins is the son of Anthony Perkins (of Norman Bates, in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” fame) doesn’t seem to have had any effect on the latter’s musical career, although it’s hard not to wonder how much the elder’s relationships might have. Fortunately, if any, it all seems to have been good – maybe even  great.

Elvis Perkins’ musical genre falls somewhere between dixieland jazz and “freak folk,” between Hollywood and Bourbon Street. He and the other members of ” Elvis Perkins In Dearland” are  about to release the new 6-song “Doomsday EP,” a perfect melange of their sound, October 20 (preorder the EP online here).

It makes some sort of weird sense that EPID would start a new effort out of the “Doomsday” single, since the song seemed to generate quite a bit of wild, apocalyptic reaction when they played it live on the last tour (at least here in Denver). More than any other one of their songs, “Doomsday” represents a culmination of Perkins’ growth from the sad, quiet folk singer he was on his first record, “Ash Wednesday,” to the bombastically extroverted, happy and effluent poet he and the Dearland band have become.

Listen to “Doomsday” below, and see what you think:

[wpaudio url=”https://www.denverthread.com/wp-content/themes/mimbo/sounds/Doomsday.mp3″ text=”Elvis Perkins In Dearland – Doomsday”]

Watch for more “New Releases” postings from DenverThread.com in the near future. While we’d like to focus on new music coming out of the Denver scene, we realize that it’s not made in a vacuum. We also want to spread the word about the bands we love, from all over the world.

Local bands – If you have a record in production, or that you’ve recently released, let DenverThread know about it! We’re happy to let our readers know, and get your music out there!