Review Summary: Angelic, inventive, lush and relaxed.
California is the home to a lot of good bands,
a lot. Evaline happens to be one of them and despite being slightly low on the radar they've managed to catch quite a few eyes here in the sunny state, or maybe just mine.. Anyways the band is
really talented to say the least and the slight emo tinge makes this a must listen for fans of Cursive, Saosin or Circa Survive. But even if you don't like those bands this deserves a listen regardless. Only 6 songs? Still, this could be something to fall in love with.
My favorite thing about this Ep?.. Definitely the drumming. Straight from the dynamic opener,
La De Da, it's apparent that anyone who enjoys subtly complex drum fills will find much to enjoy here. The drumming not only provides a lush splashy background to each song but also manages to be strongly inventive yet so laid back at the same time.
Calm Touching probably best illustrates the drummings winding yet subdued style perfectly. The drumming's lax vibe goes hand in hand with the vocal style seamlessly which adds a desperate yet angelic quality to the music all by itself. The lines /"Don't we all die alone?"/ might seem generic on paper but are brilliantly executed with a powerfully desperate quality. Some could say the vocalist even brings to mind a softer, calmer Anthony Green which isn't a bad comparision. A portion of the vocal performance during
A Protest in Lines to Thin to Read is even given an "under the water effect" which works flawlessly with the songs dreamy feel.
So the drumming's superb and might become the focus of many of the songs and the vocal delivery is quite simply brilliant, even angelic at times. Focusing on the guitar work for a moment it's very nicely rounded but never over the top.
Write Your Pretentious Squalls allows the guitar to slam and slash away at crunchy power chords while squeakier progressions layer the background. However the guitar work shines most during the more laid back sections of
Calm Touching. The band even employ a few very nicely placed electronic flushes to further give off a more "progressive" feel as on
Where the Fearless Hide. The bass while being slightly on the "basic" side is good and underbellies the songs well. The layering of each song is quite an accomplishment in itself as the Ep consistently balances slick production with a more raw element still present.
Angelic, inventive, lush and relaxed. Words that come to mind when listening to Evaline's excellent Ep. While it isn't a masterpiece I hardly doubt a young bands first Ep ever is. What it is however is a fantastic introduction to a band with a plethora of fresh and interesting musical ideas. The songwriting skills aren't breathtaking and there is clearly room for improvement just the thought that this is the bands first Ep makes me hopeful for their future. Hopefully they'll continue to grow as musicians and continue to create wonderful music like this.
Your kingdom arose from a fort of sheets,
your crown was hailed by the king in me
as we whispered our woes..
