Evelyn Evelyn
First Avenue presents
Ladies and Gentlemen! Critics and hipsters!
We are proud to introduce "Evelyn Evelyn" - the world's only conjoined-twin singer-songwriter duo.
Discovered and launched by punk-cabaret queen Amanda Palmer (The Dresden Dolls) and endless minstrel Jason Webley (who incidentally will be celebrating his birthday tonight at The Cedar), Evelyn Evelyn is one of the most anticipated acts of 2010. After three full years in the studio, the Evelyn sisters are gearing up for a world tour in support of their debut album, which hits the shelves on March 30th.
Epic in scope and production, the twelve tracks on "Evelyn Evelyn" showcase the twins' uncanny talent and versatility as musicians. With a background in circus performance and a wide, bizarre range of influences, the twins compose original timeless songs full of humor, sadness, and double entendre.
Rather than being limited by their unique physical condition, the Evelyn sisters prove that two heads are indeed better than one. Audiences will marvel at the twins as they dexterously perform their original compositions on piano, guitar, ukulele, accordion and even drums.
"When I first heard their songs, I was astounded at the sheer, raw talent and super-clever songwriting," says Palmer. "But when I found out they were actually conjoined twins who had spent their lives trapped in the circus industry, I wanted to help them reach a new audience."
These songs, which could be at home in a lost Tim Burton movie or a warped sequel to the Rocky Horror Picture Show, flash seamlessly through styles, eras, and genres. With lyrics that hearken back to simpler times, the twins' vocals are reminiscent of a ghostly counterpart to the Andrews Sisters. Encompassing everything from old-school dancehall to new-school indie show tunes, their songs range from the country-tinged "You Only Want Me 'Cause You Want My Sister" to an utterly heartbreaking ukulele rendition of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart."
Other notable tracks include a ragtime song called "Have You Seen My Sister, Evelyn?” the child-friendly "Elephant Elephant", and their commentary on the loneliness of online social networking - an anthemic 80's power ballad entitled "My Space". The latter features gang vocals recorded by many of the twins' supportive friends, including "Weird Al" Yankovic, Andrew W.K., Amanda's recent fiancé Neil Gaiman, twin comrades Tegan and Sara Quin, Gerard Way, Frances Bean Cobain and many others.
All involved parties are crossing their fingers and toes in hopes that the world will not only accept these astonishingly unique young ladies, but also embrace them with warm, open arms.
"We're all just really proud of them. I think people are going to love them, and we are excited to see how the twins react to performing in a climate where people are more receptive and respectful than they were in the circus," says Webley who co-produced the sisters' album.
Found instrument guru Sxip Shirey will give a brief opening set.
Tickets are on sale now from the Cedar ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2), First Avenue outlets, and online at Ticketmaster. STANDING ROOM ONLY
Lyn and Eva Neville were born in September of 1985 on a small farm in Western Kansas. The girls are Parapagus Tripus Dibrachius twins, conjoined at the side and sharing between them three legs, two arms, two hearts, three lungs, and a single liver....
Amanda Palmer is the singer and pianist of The Dresden Dolls. Born in 1976, she grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts and received her B.A. from Wesleyan University. She attended Lexington High School, where she was very involved in the drama department. Amanda...
Jason Webley is a Seattle-born singer-songwriter known for playing a mix of gypsy, folk, and punk. He has released five albums on his own label, Eleven Records. These feature Webley on the piano, guitar, accordion, and a number of other instruments, though...
Sxip Shirey is a composer and performer who lives in New York City. His music is beautiful, surprising, deep and will twist your head right around. Ecstatic melody, unimaginable sounds and deep sexy beats played Industrial Flutes, Bullhorn Harmonicas,...
