Album Review: We Were Evergreen – Towards
2 min read
Parisian indie/pop/folk trio We Were Evergreen have spent the last five years chipping away at what will become their debut album, Towards. The group (consisting of members Fabienne, William and Michael) have drawn concepts and discarded others in order to move towards their musical vision; multiple jam sessions, shared ambition, a move to London and playing many beloved live shows were major contributors to the final product. So what makes Towards so moving?
The short and sweet intro /// is an array of minimalistic sounds, heading into the direction of second single False Start; the second track wastes no time getting down to business, the vocals begin instantaneously and the snappy verse evolves into an energy driven chorus, a perfect choice as a single. Lead single Daughters is carried by a lush arrangement by keys, and surprisingly the chorus is down key as compared to the verse, such a great dynamic. Quicksand consists of yet another quirky atmosphere of instruments and sounds, the vocal style is somewhat reflective of Chris Martin (Coldplay); the smoothness and oddity present in this track is what makes it so appealing, especially the ever changing sound environment. The recipient of catchiest hook so far from Towards goes to Belong; the instrumental and vocal arrangements in the track wrap themselves around your head and don’t let go, it’s such a refreshing sound.
Antlers is a nice lighthearted track to listen to, Michael demonstrates a soothing falsetto quality to his voice to take the track to a greater height. Best Thing could possibly be the weakest point of Towards so far, that’s not to say it’s not a good song, it just didn’t seem to live up to its predecessors. Overnight had a great ring to it, but not as refreshing as Dormant which saw Fabienne take the reigns and duet with Michael. The album takes another turn towards its pop/indie influence with Tambourine Like A Crown; it’s a catchy tune and is easy to follow to nod your head to. Golden Fire is a curious yet enlightening listen, and finally Kilmore’s End finishes the album’s journey on a lighter note.
Towards is an enlightening album debut for such a diverse sound that We Were Evergreen are renowned for; the project has its fair share in darker and lighter themes and showcases the miles of talent shared between the three musicians. It is lyrically satisfying, and the overall atmosphere of the album made it a pleasant listening experience. The band have said that for them it has been about keeping moving, with an album such as Towards how could they not keep doing so?
