What if the Hulk killed Wolverine? Up until 1993, that was mankind’s greatest unanswered question. Turns out Hulk gets arrested. So with the Hulk-zone of our brains (roughly 80% of total brain mass) freed from nonstop pondering of that one particular question, humankind has been allowed to ponder unlimited visions of alternate universes. But we just use mostly that power to regret stuff. Oops.
Matt Berninger (The National) and Brent Knopf (Ramona Falls, formerly of Menomena) have matching “No Regrets” tattoos, though. That’s why they’ve formed a new musical project solely dedicated to imagining an alternate universe. The project is called EL VY, which the press release says rhymes with “Hell Pie” and is said like the plural of Elvis, which I would have guessed was “Elvises,” but I regret not paying more attention in grammar class, so okay. In this universe, Universe-1, their debut album Return To The Moon will be out October 30 through 4AD. Just in time for Halloween, which is like an alternate universe where everything is spooookier.
All this alternate universe talk isn’t just the fever dream of a certain music news writer; it’s essential to EL VY’s artistic goals. Let’s let the press release tell it:
EL VY is not a replacement or a side project, but a glimpse into an alternate musical universe: a universe in which Berninger never left Cincinnati, and Midwestern punk Mecca the Jockey Club never closed. A universe in which Mike Watt and the late D. Boon of the punk band Minutemen are every bit as iconic as Mick and Keith, and a teenager’s sense of rebellion is fed by the dark social politics of middle America.
Kooky stuff, press release! Sounds like a great universe: The Minutemen were excellent and deserve recognition, the Jockey Club I bet was a nice place, and Cincinnati’s a real city on the rise! But in our universe (Universe-1), EL VY are going on their first tour this fall, so we’re doing just fine. Now imagine other universes while listening to The Minutemen-referencing sorta-title-track “Return To The Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, With Crescendo)” below.
Return to the Moon tracklist:
01. Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with
Crescendo)
02. I’m the Man to Be
03. Paul Is Alive
04. Need a Friend
05. Silent Ivy Hotel
06. No Time to Crank the Sun
07. It’s a Game
08. Sleepin’ Light (feat. Ural Thomas)
09. Sad Case
10. Happiness, Missouri
11. Careless
EL VY dates:
11.02.15 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
11.03.15 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
11.04.15 - Seattle, WA - Neumos
11.06.15 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
11.07.15 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
11.10.15 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
11.11.15 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
11.13.15 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
11.14.15 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
11.15.15 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair
11.16.15 - Montreal< QC - Theatre Fairmount
11.17.15 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
11.19.15 - Chicago, IL - Metro
11.20.15 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
11.21.15 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
12.01.15 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuse
12.02.15 - Hamburg, Germany - Knust
12.03.15 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
12.04.15 - Cologne, Germany - Kantine
12.06.15 - Berlin, Germany - Astra
12.07.15 - Brussels, Belgium - AB
12.08.15 - Paris, France - Trabendo
12.10.15 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
12.12.15 - Manchester, UK - Gorilla
12.13.15 - Dublin, Ireland - Whelans
• EL VY: http://elvy.co
• 4AD: http://www.4ad.com
More about: EL VY, Menomena, The National
