While The National's Aaron Dessner was working with Justin Vernon on the inaugural Eaux Claire festival, his bandmate Matt Berninger was working on a secret project he kept on his laptop called "The Moon." Finally the project will see the light of day as a collaboration with Brent Knopf from Menomena and more recently Ramona Falls called EL VY.
The files in that folder were bits of music from Brent Knopf, the Portland musician and producer best known for his work in Menomena and his more recent band, Ramona Falls. Berninger and Knopf struck up a friendship nearly a decade ago, when the National and Menomena joined together for a west coast tour of small, half-?empty clubs. It would be years before the New York indie rockers were playing on television and packing arenas, earning Grammy nominations and topping critics' lists, but the two felt an immediate musical kinship. It's a testament to their chemistry that Berninger and Knopf continued to feed that folder over the years with ideas.
EL VY will release an album called Return to the Moon, which will be released on October 30 via 4AD. EL VY will also be going on tour to support the album and will make stop at Turner Hall Ballroom on November 20. EL VY also shared the track "Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with Crescendo)"
Return to the Moon Tracklisting
1. Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with Crescendo)
2. I’m the Man to Be
3. Paul Is Alive
4. Need a Friend
5. Silent Ivy Hotel
6. No Time to Crank the Sun
7. It’s a Game
8. Sleeping Light
9. Sad Case
10. Happiness, Missouri
11. Careless
TOUR DATES
November
03 – PORTLAND, OR, Doug Fir Lounge 04 – SEATTLE, WA, Neumos
06 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA, The Independent 07 – LOS ANGELES, CA, Troubadour
10 – PHILADELPHIA, PA, Union Transfer 11 – WASHINGTON, DC, 9:30 Club
13 – NEW YORK, NY, Bowery Ballroom
14 – BROOKLYN, NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg 15 – BOSTON, MA, The Sinclair
16 – MONTREAL, QC, Theatre Fairmount 17 – TORONTO, ON, Opera House
19 – CHICAGO, IL, Metro
20 – MILWAUKEE, WI, Turner Hall Ballroom
21 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN, First Avenue
December
01 – COPENHAGEN, Pumpehuse 02 – HAMBURG, Knust
03 – AMSTERDAM, Melkweg 04 – COLOGNE, Kantine
06 – BERLIN, Astra
07 – BRUSSELS, AB
08 – PARIS, Trabendo
10 – LONDON, Electric Ballroom 12 – MANCHESTER, Gorilla
13 – DUBLIN, Whelans
