Evan Andree - Ancient Eternal Review
rating: 4
As if trying to prove his own diversity, and your own inability to pin him down, Evan Andree has released another EP that takes him in an altogether different direction yet again. Whether it was intentional or not, Evan seems to be proving himself quite the talented chameleon. Now these arent drastic switch arounds; like, I dont know, going from being a roots blues act to a dubstep infused death metal band, or rap to purest soulful folk but they are considerable shifts that show a depth of talent at Andrees fingertips. Now, I reviewed his two previous releases this year, HERE and HERE, and as stated prolifically proving a point, hes back again with some new songs and a new sound. For those unfamiliar with those EPs, the first sported a very prominent pop-centric indie with the subtlest hints of Passion Pit, Bruce Springsteen and Motion City Soundtrack, and then the second EP maintained the pop element but ditched the guitar bias and focussed on a more electronic sound. So, what of the third? Well, instead of pursuing a more electonica inflected sound as I predicted, Ancient Eternal strips things back and dives into a more folk inspired sound. Theres acoustic guitars, theres a variety of percussion, with hints of a campfire stomp, and on the whole a much mellower pace. However, Andree hasnt just thrown away all his studio equipment and electronics. No, hes instead adapted them to this new direction hes going in. This results in an undercurrent of folk running through the EP, but the stream is not the be-all and end-all. Naked starts the EP and, comparatively to the previous EPs, is as nude as the title suggests, but the sparse acoustic and vocal arrangement is layered with atmospheric effects, echo, reverberation and layered harmony vocals that creates a very spaced out feel think chilled out Pink Floyd production values. Even though there are a lot of effects, and layers, the instrumentation itself is completely stripped back and the track feels, well, naked and Andrees vocals really shine. Theres still remnants of an indie sound here though, as Tonight (For Fantine) proves with its almost Band Of Horses style, but with the delay and echo ramped right up to enhance that woozy melancholy as the track swoons to Andree pleading that he just want(s) to run away from heartbreak that leaves him feeling like hes dying tonight. Atomic Bomb really gets the folk element in full song, but by way of a magical sort of lullaby. The layered harmonies, and percussion are out in force for this one and the pace picks up a little bit with a fuller backing band, but not a lot its still a folk lullaby after all, and its lyrics deal with the very folk and hippy theme of humankinds mistreatment of the earth, and a need to start treating it a whole lot better. This Photo Of You takes things into a more uplifting territory as the song slowly evolves from a restrained and methodical beginning before Andrees vocals start to gather more momentum and bite, coinciding with the instrumentation filling out, including electric guitar. Its a tease though, as the song once built in rises and fills out and is then sharpishly brought back down, it a great effect but theres a part that wishes it properly let loose and paid off the build of climax; even if this is a far more subdued EP. The Road, Again is quick, sweet and perhaps the most nude of the tracks here, though the haze and vocal layers remain of course, with the smallest hint of a country influence too. On the whole its another switch up for Evan Andree as he seems to be proving himself capable of conforming into numerous genres; whilst maintaining a sound that is distinctly and wholly his own. His songwriting appears to be developing and strengthening too, alongside his vocals and his general arrangements of song and studio effects, theres a maturity here that also maintains the youthful exuberance of his previous pieces, even if the tempo has dropped. I look forward to what his next EP might bring...