Always Everlong
Royale Stag, 2021
9/10
Formerly of Grim Northern Social and Apollo 440, this debut solo album from Ewan MacFarlane sees the artist bringing the best ideas of classic rock, rootsy sounds and even some punk flavored moments to his very personal songwriting.
“Stirrin In The City” starts the listen with a rugged yet melodic version of roots rock meets alt-rock, where thumping drums and warm guitars suit MacFarlane’s soaring pipes, and “She Comes For The Kill” follows with a much calmer display of gritty song craft that’s got plenty of soulful backing vocals.
“Underneath Your Spell” arrives near the middle and offers a bare and sublime track where MacFarlane gets intimate and powerful with just his soft guitar, while “Your Blood & Your Mine” finds itself in gorgeous, ballad territory, as a heartfelt delivery is met with gentle drumming, light keys and, of course, his inimitable voice. “You’re All Wrong” then moves back into fuller areas thanks to his punk friendly version of Americana that makes an indelible impression.
The title track lands deep in the listen, and is a both musically and lyrically substantial tune of poetic songwriting, and “The End Is Just The Beginning” exits the listen with bright brass amid the upbeat, frisky and very diverse finish.
An album that will definitely remind you of Springsteen and Petty, MacFarlane uses a modest amount of twang and the Scotland native retains the spirit of his home country to give it a distinct angle. Writing a song a day during lockdown, he certainly bared his soul in these stories, and it makes every second here worth respect and admiration.
Travels well with: Jesse Malin- Outsiders; Tommy Womack- I Thought I Was Fine