Review – Geoff Jenke
In their 25 years of releasing albums, Even have only given us 8 albums, but what great albums they have been. From 2000 to 2017 we only got 3 new albums, then in 2018 they released the magnificent Satin Returns. Now we get another new album in Reverse Light Years and it’s a double. Even fans around the world (yes, they do have an overseas following) rejoiced at this news.
I asked Ash Naylor, singer/guitarist for Even if the double album was planned or was it because of covid and he had a plethora of songs to use. “A bit of both really, I began writing songs for the album around Feb 2019. I was becoming increasingly single-minded about making it a double album during 2020.”
It is risky making a double album, does it wear a bit thin towards the end or would it have made a great single album? I am glad to say there is nothing on this album that could/should have been left off.
Cherry Afterglow starts proceeding and had been released as a single prior to the album’s launch. Of all the tracks on the album, this is the only one that could have been the opening track. Rumour has it, it is about the Cherry Bar in Melbourne and once when Even were playing, Ash had a car window smashed, but the performance they played was so good it didn’t damp his euphoria. The song is big bold and quite powerful, with just a hint of U2.
Miracle Drum is the first “epic” song on the set, coming in at over 7 minutes. It sounds like a Jimi Hendrix/John Lennon collaboration. Lots of loud guitar over the solid backing from Wally on bass and Matt on drums. Has Ash been listening to Jimi Hendrix during lockdown? Ash – “Yes, I have loved his music since I was a teenager. It has always seemed other- worldly to me. My intention for ‘ Miracle Drum’ was to be free within a song to play extended guitar sections with little regard for conventional pop song structure or length. ‘Electric Ladyland’ has been a major source of inspiration in recent times. Jimi is a genre of one in my view.”
Dandy Stomp has the pure Even sound and the song could have fitted nicely on their debut album or any of their other albums. Was this a homage to the Dandy Wahols? The sound is similar.
Silver Rain is Even reinventing themselves for the “roaring 2020’s”. An instant classic that could only fit on Reverse Light Years. Lifetime starts as almost dirge that soon roars into life with Ash’s guitar screaming against the background.
This Don’t Feel Like would sit nicely on The Beatles White Album. Is this the best song Paul McCartney never wrote? Nice use of electric and acoustic guitar.
Starlight Caravan is Return to Stardust off the previous album, Satin Returns, revisited. I can see this song and Stardust morphing into each other on stage. Will this become the 18-minute live version Ash once hinted at? Ash said of the song – “In terms of uninhibited guitar playing, tempo and feel, sure. I like the fact it takes two minutes for the first verse to start. A major source of inspiration for this track was ‘Summertime Rolls’ by Jane’s Addiction, a loping masterpiece from the late 80’s. I went full prog on the guitar solo too. It’s one of my favourite tracks we’ve ever put on an album.”
It’s also one of mine now. David Gilmour, eat your heart out!
Ash pours his heart out on Too Dumb To Quit so I asked Ash if the song was autobiographical to which he replied “Not exactly but probably. The quote is based on a conversation I was privy to at The Palais a few years back between my mate Steve Pinkerton (Dallas Crane/ The Robson Hangup) and Robin Zander from Cheap Trick, who Steve’s band Dallas Crane were supporting on this occasion. Steve was chatting with Robin and commenting on how great it is Cheap Trick are still so active as a live band, to which Robin replied…..’Too Dumb To Quit’……I had to turn that into a song!”
Life in a Box closes the album and is the longest song on the set at nearly 8 minutes. A slow burner that weaves and ebbs through the 8 minutes of its life. Definitely one of the best tracks on the album.
So, would Reverse Light years have made a killer single album? The obvious answer is yes, of course, but then we would not have got the absolute killer songs on the second album. At 17 songs, this album is one of the best double albums I have ever heard. There is not one filler song on the album.
Even has created a classic. Ash, the eternal journey man when it comes to music, has taken the band to a new high with his song writing and Even can, indeed, hold their head high.
It’s a case of too much Even is still never enough.
CD & Vinyl available through EL RENO/Band Camp https://even.bandcamp.com/album/reverse-light-years
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