Evelyn Evelyn - Evelyn Evelyn

Title: Evelyn Evelyn
Artist: Evelyn Evelyn
Genre: Various
Release Date: 26th March 2010
Label: 11 Records & 8ft. Records



Album Review

The conjoined twins Evelyn & Evelyn Neville have spent most of their lives in the circus industry before their unique talent for music has been discovered by no one less than Amanda Palmer & Jason Webley. Both being amazed by the twin's talents they offered to help them reaching a wider audience. The result of meticulous, and not always easy, work was eternalized eventually on the duo's eponymous debut album, optically inspired by vintage circus posters.

Shall we start now? Ok, here we go then and get the ball rolling with the title track of the album which finds the sisters pondering over essential questions of their further live while a dramatically weeping orchestral backdrop underscores and sonically comments on the little mood shifts. 'A Campaign Of Shock and Awe' recalls the gimmicky blurb of one of the best running attractions in the cabinet of curiosities of the quirky funfair we've just entered. Oddly enough, the twins seem to have found marked pleasure in presenting themselves "Smile for the camera, Evelyn" 'The tragic events of September Part I' is the beginning of a trilogy touching on the early years of the sisters from their birth and the odd incidents following it, through the troubles they needed to go through, the suffering they had to bear due to their otherness. Last but not least the third part of the story has them discovering the obvious benefits of social networking sites, which brings us right to the power ballad 'My Space'. Honestly, I tried to remain serious but I ended up laughing out loud. It's like someone's opened the box of power ballad clichés, picked up the best and made a song of it.

'Chicken Man' fuses the elements of sea shanty characterized by the accordion and a fiery tango in one song. Didn't think I'd ever get to hear such a composition that, and here it gets really interesting, actually works perfectly. With 'You Only Want Me 'cause You Want My Sister' we're doing another slight shift to another genre; this time being Country and it's so genuinely performed this time, you can easily overhear the subtle doze of humour in it. Things on the album come to a close with a very special and unexpected rendition of JOY DIVISION's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' on ukulele and piano. I dare saying Ian Curtis, if he could hear it, would give standing ovations. Firstly for giving the song a new twist and secondly for the excellent way of touchingly performing it as duo. So we've reached the summary of an album that doesn't make it easy for the unprepared with mixing so many different styles, very old and new ones, which makes it hard to believe there's some kind of coherence in it. But believe me there is and it's absolutely fun to listen to it over and over again.


Tracklist

01. Evelyn Evelyn - 4:36
02. A Campaign of Shock and Awe - 2:39
03. The Tragic Events of September - Part I - 4:33
04. Have You Seen My Sister Evelyn? - 2:13
07. Sandy Fishnets - 7:05
08. Elephant Elephant - 2:26
09. You Only Want Me 'cause You Want My Sister - 3:49
10. Tragic Events - Part III - 4:16
11. My Space - 5:22
12. Love Will Tear Us Apart - 2:50


Line-Up

Evelyn Neville - Piano, Vocals, Ukulele
Evelyn Neville - Accordion, Guitar, Vocals


Website

http://www.evelynevelyn.com / http://www.myspace.com/evelynevelyn


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 8 / 10


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