Evan Alexander Moore – The Perennial Millennial (2020)
Born and raised in Texas, singer-songwriter Evan Alexander Moore has been surrounded by music his entire life. He used to play drums in an indie garage rock band and performed in musical theatre, but now writes and performs his own songs. His vision of folk music is one that combines old and new to create his own eclectic sound. This is clear in his debut album The Perennial Millenial.
As the name suggests, the concept of the album is millennials and the modern world. Each song focuses on a different problem that plagues the millennial generation. He uses his range to present each issue in its own way drawing from traditional folk to psychedelic folk and punk.
The first track is ‘Millennial’ and opens with an interesting, if somewhat disjointed, guitar. This leads to spoken words that lay out a story that many millennials will connect with. This track is very interesting with the spoken word story and singing underlying it.
‘Church Lawns’ has a more traditional folk opening combined with traditional vocals. The melody of this track picks up the pace as the song progresses. While the name of the song makes you think it is about church, this is only partially true as it has a lot going on in the lyrics.
‘Mary Magdalene’ has an electronic opening that hooks you, but it is the turn to a darker folk melody that really gets you. There is a very funky beat to this track under the folk tones that makes you move. The song uses vivid imagery throughout to get the message through and it very artfully done.
‘Prove My Love’ is a minimalist track that highlights Moore’s vocals. The gentle guitar on the song sets you at ease while the lyrics are full of wistful images. While this track is soothing, it is full of self-doubt in the face of love.
‘Will’s Interlude’ starts very differently to the other tracks on the album. The vocals are full of echoes and the lyrics have a narrative quality to them. While this song is a step away from the folk basis of the rest of the tracks, it is an interesting inclusion.
‘Our Time’ takes us back to the folk inspiration of the album. This song has a more upbeat folk melody to it which is undercut by the lyrics. Listening to the lyrics, this track is a good protest song against the uncaring political system.
‘Hey, Mr. Zimmerman!’ is a fun track to listen to. Lyrically, the track is a sort of sung letter to Mr. Zimmerman and is in a Bob Dylan style. This track reminds me of ‘Song For Bob Dylan’ by David Bowie in terms of the concept. The execution is very different and fits perfectly with the rest of the album.
The next track is ‘Grand Little Symphony’ that hooks you with a great opening. This track is perhaps one of the most relatable on the album and looks at struggling to do something like writing music. It also encompasses justifying your own efforts even if you feel that they are not as good as what others can do.
‘Backbone of America’ is a frank and open look at America and what some people feel is its backbone. There is a lot of frustration in this track which is clear in the vocal performance. The way all this is showcased in the track is very artful through multiple stories throughout the lyrics.
‘Brian’s Interlude’, like ‘Will’s Interlude’, is different from the rest of the album. The lyrics of this track is really someone ranting about how millennials are portrayed in the media and is more fun to listen to than it should be. The distortion used in the track pushes the message forward.
‘The Price of Cereal’ has a great melody to it that hooks you from the first notes. The lyrics are a tale of struggling in a capitalist society that cares more about money than people. This song is more hard-hitting than the easy melody might make you think.
‘Background Actors’ has a great beat at the start to hook you and is a bit more rock than folk. This track shows how versatile Moore is as his vocals are able to fit the different sound of this song. While the melody is different, the lyrics hit you with the tale of frustration at struggling while being part of the machine.
‘Perennial’ takes you back to the folk tones with a gentle guitar and vocal performance. There is a bit of synth in this track that changes things up. The lyrics and vocals are sad in this song and there is a pleading tone.
The final track is ‘If I Got You (A Nihilist’s Love Song)’ and is a perfect ending to the album. The track is very nihilistic and could be depressing if you don’t get underlying love song. The lyrics have a desolation to them but still offer an amazing declaration of love.
Evan Alexander Moore lays out what it is to be a millennial in The Perennial Millennial. The album covers all the problems young people face and their frustration at the world. The album does have hope laced in the words and ends with the beautifully depressing ‘If I Got You (A Nihilist’s Love Song)’.
Find out more about Evan Alexander Moore on his website, Facebook, Twitter and Spotify.
