Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday was recorded in 2006 and issued by XL Recordings in the United States on February 20, 2007^[1]. It is Elvis Perkins's debut and is sequenced chronologically: the first six songs were written before the death of his mother, Berry Berenson, in the September 11 attacks, and the last five afterward^[1].

Perkins has said the title refers to being left on Wednesday with nothing but ash, because his mother died on a Tuesday. He has also said the album has been made out to be bleaker than it really is, and that it holds moments of hope^[1]. Critics responded warmly, with reviews ranging from Pitchfork's 7/10 to PopMatters' 8/10^[1][3].