EL VY Prepares to Bring Intelligent Rock to Troubadour

Matt Matasci

What happens when you mix The National’s sobering lyrical astuteness with the quirky, lighthearted instrumental dynamic of Menomena? The result of this curious but complementary partnership is EL VY, featuring Matt Berninger and Brent Knopf of the aforementioned groups. Their debut full-length, “Return to the Moon,” was released on Friday, October 30 through the seminal record label 4AD, and it does not stray far from expectations. Over the course of 11 tracks, Berninger’s instantly identifiable baritone vocals spin cheeky, clever yarns over Knopf’s upbeat, inventive and multi-layered guitar rock. 

The album title is a reference to a secret desktop folder on Berninger’s laptop entitled “The Moon.” Contained within this folder were the skeletal snippets of music sent to him by Knopf over the course of several years. Nearly a decade passed from the moment they first began collaborating to the release of “Return to the Moon,” and the final product proves to be well worth the wait.

Michael, the narrator of the album, guides the listener through the life of quasi-fictional main character Didi Bloome. “Return to the Moon” eventually reveals itself to be a heavily veiled and, at times, completely ambiguous allegory of Southern California punk legends Mike Watt (Michael) and D. Boon (Didi Bloome). While it can be difficult to fully comprehend the theme of the record from the lyrics alone, there are other signposts along the way. The opener “Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloom to Sing, with Crescendo)” is a direct reference to a track from The Minutemen’s “Double Nickels on the Dime.” Meanwhile, closer “Careless” features lyrical tidbits like “Didi, if you leave / I’ll cling to your sleeve,” referencing the tragic car accident that took D. Boon’s life in 1986, at the height of his band’s popularity.

Berninger’s The National and Knopf’s current compilation, Ramona Falls, both have projects in the pipeline, so EL VY is not going to become either member’s full-time gig. With the two songsmiths catching lightening in a bottle on “Return to the Moon,” this may be music fans’ one and only shot at seeing these songs in a live setting.

Catch EL VY at the Troubadour on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8. A limited number of tickets for either evening are available here.