Punk, new wave and indie-rock have constantly flirted with the primal nature of rock'n'roll, often mixing and confusing the sacred and the profane with irreverence and flair. This premise helps to better understand the typically 70s nature of Sam Evian's music – born Sam Owens.
The musician's fourth album, and his first for Flying Cloud/Thirty Tigers, is a delightful journey into the post-Beatles era. Sam Evian is not only a skilled pianist and guitarist, the songs are nourished by blues and soul reminiscences that enrich the praiseworthy melodic substratum, as well as elegant and essential arrangements.
Among the four baronets of Liverpool, the figure most congenial to Sam Evian is that of George Harrison, cited without any shame in the carefree “Jacket” (the song seems to come from a Traveling Wilburys album) and in the splendid ballad midtempo with lots of slides which closes the album: “Stay”.
The collaborative spirit of the project contributes to the broadening of the horizons and pleasures of “Plunge”: Hannah Cohen, Adrianne Lenker, El Kempner and Liam Kazar are just some of the names involved. The guitarist and vocalist of Big Thief is responsible for the wild scratching of “Why Does It Take So Long?”, while El Kempner keeps the garage-psych-rock tension high on “Another Way”.
However, it is the general level of the compositions that makes the difference: “Freakz” with its charming synth-soul sounds earns a certain place in the summer playlist, while the perfect melodic movements and the seductive sax solo of the very refined “Rollin' In” conquer even the hearts of non-romantics.
The more demanding can only indulge in the more restless psych-pop jam session nature of “Wild Days” or the heartfelt homage to John Lennon in “Runaway”, two songs that highlight another characteristic of Sam Evian's music, namely the ability to blend improvisation and melody without any apparent effort.
“Plunge” is an album that cradles the best pop attitudes of English and American rock music: nine songs perfect for intelligent relaxation.
01/07/2024
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM