Elvis Perkins Checks Into Dearland

Dearland is not a destination, but if it was, it'd be Elvis Perkins' happy place. And a place where he's joined by friends: No longer a "solo" artist, per-se, 'Elvis Perkins in Dearland' is both the name of his band and their debut CD, which will drop on March 10. Perkins is in a different space now than he was when he recorded the melancholic 'Ash Wednesday,' a solo disc whose songs were a poetic reflection on death, grief and the mourning process. By contrast, Elvis Perkins in Dearland finds Perkins in a much different spot, and the music -- which is outright joyful at times -- reflects the new mood as well as the old.

"Had I still had my first album to make, which isn't beyond the imagination, it would turn out another thing than when it was released that while ago," Perkins tells Spinner. "The Dearland record has a broader emotional and sonic spectrum to it, and arguably gets more out of the system than its predecessor. Moving and yelling can work wonders for the constitution."

We take that truth to be self-evident, going on observation from several other emotional singer-songwriters. Just a heads-up, Mister Perkins: Ryan Adams wants you to know that in Dearland, there's no shortage of cardinals.