These days, a lot of young folks find new music on their Tik-Toks, while some of us old folks rely on store/restaurant music systems, TV and movie soundtracks, and NPR, to name a few. The latter brought Sam Evian, and his new album Plunge, into the Pop Culture Beast solar system.
It’s the fourth effort from the New York-based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer, whose music has been described by its various influences. He’s squarely in the indie world with nods to 70s-era psychedelic rock, as well as what we used to call country-fried rock. In a somewhat unorthodox twist, at least in the modern era, the album was recorded live to tape.
Opening the album is “Wild Days,” which indeed recalls the early days of psychedelic rock but edges closer to the genre’s beginnings, say circa 1967. It’s also one of the singles. Another single, “Rollin’ In” finds Evian in his ‘70s era with a dreamy, yacht-rocky tune with a dab of organ. It even gets a little saxy in spots. He pulls it all off without sounding clichéd or schmaltzy.
Other reviewers have called Evian’s sound timeless and that is accurate. However, it’s not that he’s pushing the fundamentals like, say, a Jake Bugg, but is working in a sonic landscape that we’re all familiar with as pop music fans. This isn’t a bad thing, as there are still plenty of great songs to be written using the beloved styles of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.
“Jacket” is a great example of this. It’s a Blue Album Beatles era slice of pop that in spots sounds like it’s going to turn into “Magic” by Scottish two-hit wonders Pilot. It works remarkably well, though.
Evian isn’t all about the nostalgia, though, as “Why Does it Take so Long?” It’s a slice of proper indie rock, as is “Wind Blows.” These tracks don’t sound out of place but provide a link between Evian’s historical influences and his contemporaries.
The album finishes on a strong note, as it were, with the John Lennon-ey “Stay.” It’s a wonderful homage to the late Beatle both musically and lyrically. “Getting through, they’re running us so ragged,” sings Evian, “Just when you think you had it, they twist the knife.” Strange days indeed, but not so strange that it makes Sam Evian’s Plunge sound uneven or out of place.
PF Wilson has been writing about music, TV, radio, and movies for over 20 years. He has also written about sports, business, and politics with his work appearing in Cincinnati CityBeat, The Houston Press, Cleveland Scene, Cincinnati Magazine, Cincy Magazine, Atomic Ranch, and many more. Check out his podcast PF’s Tape Recorder available from Podbean or in iTunes.