Album Review: Evelyn Evelyn – Evelyn Evelyn

As an admirer of both the work of Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley, I’ve really been looking forward to this project. The premise is a little confusing- Evelyn Evelyn are a fictional set of conjoined twin sisters (Eva and Lyn Neville) played by Palmer and Webley. The record is the story of Eva and Lyn, intermixed with Andrews Sisters style numbers. It is not unlike listening to a Broadway musical soundtrack, with three tracks devoted to the narration of the sisters’ tragic life.

After a few listens, I found myself immersed in the sad and strange world of the Neville sisters. The tale is compelling and the emotion and expression of the songs draws you in, from the show-tune style “Have You Seen My Sister Evelyn?” to the folky “You Only Want Me ‘Cause You Want My Sister,” to the power ballad “My Space” (which is indeed about MySpace, which features an impressive guest line up.

Webley and Palmer are in top form. The vocals are impressive and poignant. One of my favorite parts of the album is the closing track, a cover of Joy Division‘s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, one of my favorite songs of all time. Evelyn Evelyn’s version is stripped down to just Palmer and Webley trading broken down vocals over soft ukulele accompaniment.

If you haven’t already gotten the impression, this album is eccentric. It isn’t going to be for everyone, like Webley and Palmer’s solo work. However, those who give this project the chance and time will appreciate it immensely.

Evelyn Evelyn – Have You Seen My Sister Evelyn?

Evelyn Evelyn will be released on 11 Records on March 30th.