Catcher Evo – Charcoal – EP
Catcher Evo is a debut project sculpted by guitarist & singer/songwriter Stefan Leonson (all instruments except drums), a Swedish rootsy musical storyteller, blending American folk, rock, & country music. There are 6 wonderfully accessible pieces on Charcoal (Dropped Jan 23/Paraply Records/26:15) produced at Stompbox Studios.
With the opening song Catcher Evo unravels a tight Bruce Springsteen-oriented gruff vocalization that’s somewhat polished & “Don’t You Ever Change” could easily find a spot on American radio playlists. They’re arranged with muscle & constitute an easily accessible performance to mainstream ears without sounding too commercial. The drive is somewhat also in a Graham Parker groove, which makes it even more interesting.
Continuing with Springsteen’s musical vividness but singing in Stefan’s own distinctive style with wonderful lyrics, “Little L” ripples with notes like a stone thrown into a pond. This band has an impressive sound. Clean playing, flexible rock sound, fluent delivery & expressive. Stefan Leonson has no accent or other drawback to his showcase. His voice is often warm & projects with authority.
What I find surprisingly good is the lack of cliches that many Euro artists inject into their lyrics. None is evident in these fine compositions. It’s a well-studied application, both lyrically & the musical genre Leonson actually shows expertise with. “Beside You” is a ballad driven by delicate playing, imaginative storytelling in a tight framework with its romanticism, passion & striking instrumentation. Good stuff, period.
“Take This Weight” is another somber, beautifully rendered ballad. Catcher Evo seems to be like chefs in a musical kitchen who know exactly how to prepare a flawless musical meal. They’re not doing anything new & challenging; they take the ingredients of popular music & add their personalities & character to the notes, which in turn provide a Buddy Miller-infused quality garnish.
The majority of this collection is characterized by creativity. The band even manages to write from a different perspective throughout — even the use of some colorful, explicit language in “You & All Your Friends.” A hilarious song about how we feel about unfair bosses & the brown-noses around them. Using a word that many of us would like to say to some of “your friends.” The song is entertainment in a blue area in a rebellious rock ‘n’ roll tradition. It’s meant to be taken in the spirit in which it was made. Despite the language, it’s not vulgar. Catcher Evo dips it all into a tasty melody with tongue-in-cheek singing. This band knows what it’s doing. Excellent showcase.
Highlights – “Don’t You Ever Change,” “Little L,” “Beside You,” “Take This Weight,” “You & All Your Friends,” & “Waiting For a Change.”
Musicians – Jordan Perlson & Bee Kjellsson (drums), Johan Svensk (guitar), Alo Karlsson (bass), & Karin Leoson (bgv).
Images courtesy of Martina Warenfeldt. CD @ Amazon + Apple & https://www.catcherevo.com/ & https://www.hemifran.com/artist/Catcher%20Evo/