Awake - Evan Wouters (Single Review)
Support the Kickstarter for this project!
Multi-instrumentalist and frequent collaborator, Evan Wouters (WOOTS), has returned with a new single from his upcoming album release, a tune called “Awake.” While the production side of the single is similar, with folks at Third Coast Recording Company like Joe Hettinga and Black Ops Studio like Collin Pompey, there are some additional members to the patchwork of collaborators. Now, we see banjo player Michael Bont (Greensky Bluegrass) working with returning collaborators Mark Lavengood and Jack McDonald. For those who thought they understood the full vibe of this project from his first single, “Home,” there is a lot more to how Evan Wouters operates as an artist.
With “Home,” listeners were treated to a relaxed, rock vibe that included a full band with some guest performers. It was a song you could imagine enjoying on a summer evening, beer in hand as you sit on your front porch and take in the sunset. With “Awake,” hear a tune with more of an acoustic, folk/bluegrass/Americana vibe, which is more than fitting for the included talents of Mark Lavengood and Michael Bont. Gone are the drums, with the rhythmic feel coming from the muted picking of the mandolin, banjo, and guitar alongside the thumping of the upright bass. The lyricism points to us as members of a society being told to follow our passions and dreams in spite of a world that can’t seem to agree on what success means. There are featured solos among a steady pulse from the accompanying instruments, moving the song right down the tracks like a train headed for the station. Evan Wouters’ vocals are on full display, showcasing more of his range and abilities as a singer that sits comfortably even in this genre shift.
“Awake” highlights the fact that Evan Wouters cannot sit within the framework of one presentation. He’s a creator that loves sounds and instrumentation from other genres. He’s a collaborator that wants to find creative ways to work with musicians he respects without it feeling forced. If there is any indication of his versatility as an artist, it would be these two singles back-to-back. This gets me excited as a listener to hear what other stories he has to tell and what ways he wants to tell them, drawing in an audience of storytelling fans that love to hear the many tales someone has to tell.
Single Credits:
Evan Wouters- Arrangements, Composition, Vocals, Lyrics, Guitars, Mixing, Editing
Michael Bont - Banjo (Greensky Bluegrass)
Mark Lavengood - Mandolin, Dobro (solo, Fauxgrass, formerly of Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys)
Jack McDonald - Upright Bass
Joe Hettinga - Mixing, Editing (Digital Tape Machine/May Erlewine/The Ollam)
Collin Pompey - Mixing, Editing, Mastering (Lazara)
Recorded at Third Coast Recording Mixed and Mastered at Black Ops Audio
Artwork: Jeff Tenenbaum and Evan Wouters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wootsmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wootsmusic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsROHGzNCiiRBq4zeMeHrqg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0pMPMOTVvEBGaIQzwEfnUs
