You may be well familiar with the bands featured in this section, but Some Dude from Hits from the Blog wants to ensure there’s No Jambandfan Left Behind…

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but [insert random singer-songwriter’s name here] is the new Bob Dylan. I swear!

How many times have you seen or heard that weighty comparison thrown around for any number of wordy songsmiths? It’s a lofty and mostly unfair expectation to live up to, considering the profound impact on music of the former Mr. Robert Zimmerman. Who else could have come up with such nuggets like “Jewels and binoculars hang from the head of a mule” or “The sun’s not yellow, it’s chicken” and a) be taken seriously and b) have said lines dissected with a fine-toothed comb, or at the very least a giant Jewfro-pick.

That’s not to say that there aren’t some fine, fine singer-songwriters out there that at the very least are the next Gordon Lightfoot (Canada’s Bob Dylan – Anyone? Anyone? Is this thing on?). While it would be too easy to go with indie-rock pin-up boy Connor Oberst (Bright Eyes for those of you scoring at home), I’ll dig a little deeper. So read on after the jump with me and let’s take a look at someone else that I think deserves your attention: Elvis Perkins.

The similarities to The King are in name only, as Perkins, in my humble opinion, may be throwing around some of the best obtuse lines out there. How about this couplet for your consideration: “Your vampire mirrors face to face; they saw forever out into space/and found you dreaming in black and white while it rained in all the colors of the night.” If that doesn’t have you reaching for your cereal-box, singer-songwriter decoder ring, I don’t know what will.

Mr. Perkins also carries one of the sadder life stories – his dad, famed actor Anthony Perkins died of AIDS from a blood transfusion and his mother died on one of the 9/11 planes. That’s kind of heavy stuff to be talking about on this here rag, but it’s no wonder his album Ash Wednesday (one of my Top Ten from last year) is an achingly beautiful yet, somber affair. Check out this fantastic and innovative performance of “While You Were Sleeping” from the Late Show:

Elvis and his band In Dearland are a ramshackle affair, and his shows often evoke a 1960s hootenanny, if I can be permitted to drop a dated reference, or what I think one would have been like. Check out this performance of “May Day” and you’ll see what I’m talking about:

If you’re interested in hearing more from Elvis and his band, and I know you gotta be, you can grab this show from Dimeadozen: Elvis Perkins in Dearland – 2007-12-03 - Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA