Evan Charles Echoes at Dawn
Evan Charles has a new album Echoes at Dawn that combines heavy emotions and introspection with throwback electric guitars and keys in songs that sidle up to you with a ’70s haze over it all. It’s reflective with hearty doses of ennui, synths, and a steady pace that taken together results in a wholly unique style. Hailing from Austin, Evan’s songwriting reflects the authenticity of the Americana music scene he exists within, but adds layers of sonic richness that pull nutrients from the roots of 4 or 5 decades ago to synthesize back into the mix.
Immediately in the title track, the mind games we play in our own heads is introduced: “now the sun’s sinking low just up ahead / echoes at dawn of the life you never led.” Searching other people for glimpses of home, wondering if we can make it all alone in this life. Then, “don’t stay for the wrong reasons” is the powerful message in “Wrong Reasons,” while the music interweaves in spirals taking turns providing a sense of restlessness. The lyrics pose thoughts that are indefinite, shadowy, like a trip into our own mind in all its edgy apprehension.
On “Lost in the Dark” there’s a heartland, Petty-esque feel permeating in the ’70s mix and it’s as if a new genre had just been born. It’s a love song for when the relationship has been through a few things and here are two hearts lost in the dark: “but when things go south I’m still wishing I could trying to remember the first time / there must be a way back, there must be a chance to reclaim the promise of that first glance.”
“Trouble Girl” is about that one relationship that consumes you: “you’ve dragged me so far from my home, now I’m completely in your world / you love to toy with an innocent boy, and I’m in love with your trouble girl.” Is this great? Or a set up for a crash. It’s irresistible, that much we know.
Later on “Ripples on the Deeper Blue” there’s a fast paced lament and a welcoming into a new journey: “now it’s time to leave the place you’ve always known / strike out on your own but remember / this is not for fear, love, this is not for years you’ve thrown away and left to spoil / this is everything you thought you knew falling away like ripples on the deeper blue.”
This album should be classed as exceptionally creative. The vocals follow electric guitar bursts and organ, and with the synth it’s a sort of early 70’s throwback in the style of the band Yes in dialogue with heartland rock, all the while it remains intimate, easygoing and dreamlike.
Overall it was perhaps unexpectedly great – and I say that as a true fan of the sorrowful twangy Americana styles. Coming across an album with this much synth and having it turn out to be as magnetic and compelling as it is was a happy surprise. There’s cinematic synth and there’s experimental dark synth, and the style here is the latter. Well done. Find the music here on his BandCamp page: https://evancharles.bandcamp.com/album/echoes-at-dawn
Musicians on the album are Evan Charles on vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, piano, synth, bass and percussion; Jonas Wilson on synth, piano, bass, percussion, drum machine and backing vocals; Ricky Ray Jackson on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, pedal steel, bass and backing vocals; Z Lynch on bass and backing vocals; Wes Cargal on drums; Davy Hamrick on drums; Jazz Mills on backing vocals and Carrie Fussell on backing vocals.
The album was produced by Jonas Wilson and Ricky Ray Jackson; mixed, mastered, and engineered by Jonas Wilson; and recorded at the Pink Room in Bastrop, Texas.
All songs were written by Evan Charles.