Ben Evolent – Wanderous (2020)
Ben Evolent is one of the Northern Territory’s most celebrated songwriters. Over the years, he has developed a dynamic range while playing to sold-out crowds. He has now released his debut album Wanderous.
The album is an expansive experience of connection, wonder and compassion. The entire album was recorded over three days at Masters Studio in Palmerston. Together each track on the album takes you through another stage of a wondrous journey.
The album starts with ‘Hotel Shelter’ which has a very summery vibe to it. Evolent’s vocals are husky and take over from the guitar in the opening. The melody of the track is captivating and keeps you moving your head to the beat. This is a very easy to listen to track that is full of acoustic guitars and wonderful vocals.
‘Shiver’ is a slower track that continues the expansive experience started in the opening track. The vocals are powerful on this track as Evolent drives the shivers down your spine. The driving beat is back in this track while the lyrics evoke amazing imagery.
‘Golden Age’ has a harder rock opening with great electric guitar riffs in the opening. There is a more country vibe to this track that perfectly matches the lyrics. There is a sense of wonder in this song that makes you smile as you listen.
‘Tales’ is another fun track to listen to that gets you into the vibe from the first note. While the melody is fun, the tale laid out in the lyrics is a bit sadder. The slower chorus will get you singing along even if you do not want to. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album because it has a great pace and story.
‘Cassanova’ is an interesting take on Casanova as it describes how people feel when meeting this type of person. There is a funky vibe to this song that melds with the folk tones Evolent is great at. There is something about his vocal performance on this song that just grabs you and does not let go until the end of the track.
The next track is ‘Cards’ which uses a slower opening to gently get you into the mood. There is an epic feel to the melody of this song which is echoed by the lyrics. There is a change-up in the track that gives a more rock vibe that only emphasises the message of the song more.
‘Wander’ has a really good vibe to the melody and gets you tapping your foot the beat from the start. As the title suggests, the track is all about wandering around and travelling. However, there is something lurking under the lyrics that turns this song a bit.
‘White Lillies’ has a very punk rock feel to it with thrashing guitars and hard beats. This is one of the faster tracks on the song and a great inclusion to the album. The energetic vocals of the track make you want to jump around and it is the perfect song if you want to crank up the volume.
‘Bodies In The Bag’ catches you with the name then hooks you with the opening that has a little cinematic vibe to it. This song is a bit reminiscent of The Police in tone and has a great vibe to it. The lyrics keep you captivated and you will be surprised at how quickly the track goes by.
The last track is ‘Happiness’ and it is a great ending to a wonderful album. This song returns to an acoustic guitar opening with Evolent’s vocals carrying you along the melody. There are some great harmonisations on this track with wonderful guitar sections.
Ben Evolent takes you on an epic journey in Wanderous using different musical styles, on-point vocals and captivating lyrics. Each track is amazing on its own but together form an outstanding debut album.
Find out more about Ben Evolent on his Facebook, YouTube and Spotify.
