Zoom-in Online

Editor's Note: This reivew was contributed by Katie Horning. Katie is originally from Columbus, OH, where she enjoyed working for an alternative rock/ indie radio station, and now lives in Pittsburgh where she shreds on Guitar Hero and soaks up sun rays during her spare time.

Photos by Melanie Parker

Elvis Perkins in Dearland @ Club Cafe 06/17/09

I was introduced a few short months ago to Elvis Perkins in Dearland. It only took thirty seconds of album opener “Shampoo” for me to take a shine to the band.   Last Wednesday night Club Café (tucked into a little corner of Pittsburgh’s Southside) also seem to have taken an interest in the group, and I was lucky enough to be on hand to catch their set.

After my first taste of the girl group opening act, Those Darlins, (think Patsy Cline meets the Donnas) mixed with several Yuenglings, Elvis and the boys hit the Café’s diminutive stage. Now, normally, my alcohol-riddled brain would soften any critiques I had against the live show of a group that had already piqued my interest.  That being said, I’m afraid I have to level one of pop music’s most insidious allegations against ol’ Elvis. See, I don’t think he knows why his music – “Shampoo” specifically, and other album highlights generally – are so good. And lacking this understanding is a defect that has ruined careers with more promise than Perkins’ not inconsiderable amount (Hello, Idlewild).  

This band’s best work has an infectious pace. Not quick exactly, but certainly up-tempo. The kind of effortless hop of solid pop song structure: steady, capricious, and punchy. On Wednesday he opened with “How’s Forever Been Baby,” which while pretty, lacks that essential energy, speed, and excitement capable of sending electricity coursing throughout the room. Lulling your audience is not the way to tour behind your sophmore album, and with such a short set there’s no reason to pull any punches. 

“Heard Your Voice in the Dresden” followed the lackluster start, and, I’m pleased to say, it actually did contain more of the above elements (cadence, head bopping melody, etc.)  “Chains Chains Chains” really had the opportunity to make or break the rest of the night, situated as it was bating cleanup on the set list. No dice. It pains me to say it, but the deal breaker again lacked vital signs and from that point on the audience had flatlined, offering polite applause between cuts.  Had the show opened up with more enthusiasm from the band - maybe with the bedrock melodic rhythm of “Hey,” or really anything else off the record that had more jump, I would have been able to give the show two thumbs up. As it was I just pounded those Yeunglings till I couldn’t see my thumbs.

Check out the Elvis Perkins in Dearland website.
Watch them perform "Shampoo" and "Doomsday"
Read a review we posted of the self titled album Elvis Perkins in Dearland

To keep up with Zoom In Music news, blogs, and videos, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.