For already established artists, starting new musical projects can be a risky affair. There will always be a sense of overriding risk at upsetting the hordes of fans that have grown accustomed to a certain style and feel of music, and whose adoration would be hard to win back should things go awry. There are of course the occasions on which things don’t go awry, and artists like Jack White end up with multiple sets of adoring fans garnered due to the formation and the subsequent popularity of two super-groups like The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, but embarking on a new venture with new people and possibly a completely alien sound is, undoubtedly, still a risk, and something one should think very carefully about before undertaking.
The same must therefore be said of Matt Berninger and Brett Knopf of The National and Ramona Falls (previously Menomena), whose formation of EL VY, a new duo born out of a meeting between the two 10 years ago when Menomena and The National were touring together, surely comes with the same risks that all artists must run when starting a new collaboration, especially given the zealousness of the almost cult-like following their primary bands possess.
At first glance, the first few notes of ‘Return To The Moon’, which is also the first track of the album, makes the record seem essentially like The National, but more fun. The light-hearted guitar riff, the staccato bass and relentless drums gives the track an undeniable groove, and an unmistakably lighter sound, and makes for an ear-catching opener to an album that blends perfectly a cocktail of scintillating new sounds, and the comforting familiarity of Berninger and Knopf’s original projects.
The National’s influence on proceedings is unmistakable at times: ‘No Time To Crack The Sun’ showcases Matt’s signature drawl in true National fashion, as well as the lilting, melt-on-your tongue guitar that evokes memories of ‘Trouble Will Find Me’, the Cincinnati band’s most recent studio offering. Knopf’s ghostly vocals also give the tune another dimension, which is enhanced by the intermittent piano playing and a powerful guitar solo to make this one of the highlights of the album.
This is an album filled with gems; one that leaves the listener inevitably and incessantly humming whichever track was last playing on their headphones. From ‘I’m The Man To Be’, with its infectious and inescapable swagger, dirty guitar riff and dark humour, to ‘Careless’ with its subtle grunge sound hidden beneath its delicate guitar plucking and its surprise of a solo, every track on the album is an instant earworm.
Ultimately, the risk Berninger and Knopf have taken in forming this new band and releasing this new album has paid off. There are echoes of both men’s other bands, as well as enough light-hearted, good-humoured, completely different material to keep it sounding fresh. Not only is this an album that will please both sets of original fans, but, in the right circles, the amount of attention the record is drawing is sure to attract a new set of fans – one that will surely be as hungry for more EL VY releases as the rest of us.
Words by Ben Kitto