With their debut album Return To The Moon set for release this weekend, EL VY, the new project by Matt Berninger (The National) and Brent Knopf (Ramona Falls), have launched a new video for the track “Need A Friend”.

“Need A Friend” is the West Coast duo’s fourth new song to be given a visual treatment from Tom Berninger (Matt’s sibling, director of the award-winning Mistaken For Strangers film and creator of all preceding EL VY videos thus far). ‘Need A Friend’ sees Matt recalling his adolescence in Cincinnati while brother Tom’s video captures the band performing live – a tantalizing glimpse ahead of their forthcoming North American and European tour.

EL VY (rhymes with ‘hell pie’) and Return To The Moon is a project Berninger and Knopf have been thinking about for years. Their friendship spans nearly a decade, starting back when the National and Brent’s previous band Menomena played small half-empty clubs along America’s west coast. Feeling an immediate musical kinship, the pair kept in touch, Brent sending Matt occasional rough sketches of music and Matt responding with melodies and lyrics. Finally, in the winter and spring of 2014-15, they actually got together to make an album.

Catch EL VY live as they head out for full-band performances with drummer Andy Stack (Wye Oak) and bassist Matt Sheehy (Lost Lander) on their first tour, throughout November and December:

EL VY TOUR DATES:
November
02 – PORTLAND, OR, Doug Fir Lounge ^ £ SOLD OUT
03 – PORTLAND, OR, Doug Fir Lounge ^ # SOLD OUT
04 – SEATTLE, WA, Neumos # SOLD OUT
06 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA, The Independent # SOLD OUT
07 – LOS ANGELES, CA, Troubadour % SOLD OUT
08 – LOS ANGELES, CA, Troubadour # SOLD OUT
10 – PHILADELPHIA, PA, Union Transfer ~
11 – WASHINGTON, DC, 9:30 Club +
13 – NEW YORK, NY, Bowery Ballroom ~ SOLD OUT
14 – BROOKLYN, NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg ~ ¥ SOLD OUT
15 – CAMBRIDGE, MA, The Sinclair ~ SOLD OUT
16 – MONTREAL, QC, Theatre Fairmount *
17 – TORONTO, ON, Opera House * SOLD OUT
19 – CHICAGO, IL, Metro * SOLD OUT
20 – MILWAUKEE, WI, The Turner *
21 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN, First Avenue *

December
01 – COPENHAGEN, Pumpehuset π SOLD OUT
02 – HAMBURG, Grunspan π
03 – AMSTERDAM, Melkweg π SOLD OUT
04 – COLOGNE, Kantine π
06 – BERLIN, Astra Kulturhaus π
07 – BRUSSELS, AB π SOLD OUT
08 – PARIS, Le Trabendo π
09 – LONDON, Electric Ballroom π SOLD OUT
10 – LONDON, Electric Ballroom π SOLD OUT
12 – MANCHESTER, Gorilla π SOLD OUT
13 – DUBLIN, Vicar Street π SOLD OUT

π w/ The Penny Serfs
# w/ Hibou
~ w/ Wye Oak
^ w/ Moorea Masa
£ w/ Lost Lander
% w/ Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra
+ w/ Flock of Dimes
¥ w/ Mina Tindle
* w/ Søren Juul