Album Review: Morgan Evans – Morgan Evans
2 min read
Australian singer- songwriter Morgan Evans has been making waves in the country music scene ever since winning the 2007 Telstra Road To Tamworth competition. 2012 saw the release of two EPs for the singer, which earnt him the title of Country Music Channel’s New Oz Artist of the Year in 2013. As well as these achievements, Evans has also supported big name artists such as Taylor Swift and Thirsty Merc on their tours around Australia. With so many accomplishments already under his belt, it can come as a surprise to learn that Evans hasn’t released an album yet. However, that’s about to change with his self-titled debut album, Morgan Evans.
Evans has a voice that was honed for country music, and this is immediately obvious to listeners. His vocals in all songs are effortless and this makes the album all the more enjoyable to listen to. The topics and issues covered in these tracks are a breath of fresh air. From the thrill of infatuation in I Wanna Go, a manifesto on life in Childhood Heart and a dream of a better world in All In This Together, Evans creates songs that are relatable for a vast demographic of people. The emotional connection evident in these songs is a rare thing to be able to express through recordings, but Morgan manages it with ease. The opening track Like A Tornado is a great example of this, with the glories and heartbreaks of love expressed in such a vulnerable manner.
The one thing about the first half of the album is that the songs can begin to sound a little similar, with the underlying melodies sounding much the same. However, this is redeemed in the second half of the album where Evans’ variety is really shown. Make You Feel Like A Woman is a sexy and seductive mid-tempo tune which perfectly suits Morgan’s vocal tones. The Best of Me once again shows off his vulnerable side, and is the only ballad on the album. Best I Never Had is a country song with rock influences whilst The Cape is a nice reworking of a Guy Clark classic and features Kasey Chambers. I feel that these songs better showed off Evans’ range than the first six songs.
With that being said, Morgan Evans is a great first album. Many of the songs are upbeat and will easily lift your spirits with its guitar heavy, country tunes . If you’re a fan of country music, or even if you’re not, I recommend that you check out this debut album from one of Australia’s most promising upcoming stars.
