In August, I wrote about EL VY, a new collaborative project between friends Matt Berninger (The National) and Brent Knopf (Ramona Falls and Menomea), and the new single they had released for their then-upcoming album, Return to the Moon. 

Today, the album is two days past a week into the world and it's one I've been listening to quite heavily the past few days.

The first song that I heard off the album, aside from the August-released first single, was "Need a Friend." At first, I didn't even know what I was listening to. It had come on the radio which I had playing as background noise, but after just a few lines, it made its way to the foreground of consciousness. It was an uptempo track with an eerie vibe and a melody that reeled me in.

I don't need your love. I just need a friend
    I just need a friend to guard the door.
       I just need a minute on the floor.
   I just need to talk to you for a second.
       I just need a break from the sound
                                         'cause it's killing me.

The tune reminded me of something, but I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. I grooved along to the end of the song and then took to the internet to listen to it again...and again. I turned it off and hummed the melody trying to summon the other song to the surface. 

"Tainted Love," that was it. It was "Tainted Love;" the song that came to fame in 1981 by Soft Cell (though it was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964). The discordant and disjointed keyboard phrases had a tinge of "Tainted Love" in 'em and I loved it.

Now speaking of "Tainted Love," there's also a beautifully haunting acoustic version of the song by Hannah Peel which has been featured on the TV hit American Horror Story. Take a listen to both below --

Soft Cell | Tainted Love

Hannah Peel | Painted Love

After that mystery was solved, I started the album from the top to give it a full listen. A few other songs that stood out for me were "No Time to Crank the Sun," "Sad Case," and "Careless."

"No Time to Crank the Sun" slows it down a bit and offers a piano-centric, glimmer-of-hope apology song. Albeit a drunken apology but, hell, it's an apology. It's a start.

"Sad Case" is a grittier song that's cloudy and distorted, whirling around self-realization and the strive for improvement. It also has a gorgeously seamless transition to the following track "Happiness, Missouri.

The album closes with "Careless" a slow, nostalgic song of longing and connection that brings back all the feels of The National's Trouble Will Find Me.

I don't know what we're waiting for
People like us don't ever switch
Our videos from scene to scene

El VY is on tour now. If you have the privilege of seeing them live, soak it up...and then tell me all about it.

Rest easy, Sunday.

xxChris