Home With EVVAN

Home With EVVAN

Bruce Von Stiers

EVVAN is an alt folk singer / songwriter who is originally from Long Island. She plays several instruments including guitar and piano. She even plays the trumpet. In an interview from a couple of years ago, EVVAN told of the musical influences in her life. EVVAN grew up listening to Carole King and Miles Davis among other greats. She stated that some of her favorite artists growing up were Fleetwood Mac and Amy Winehouse.

Going by her given name, Evan Petruzzi, EVVAN has performed at venues such as the Rockwood Music Hall and The Bitter End. She's also had the opportunity to perform at the Bluebird Café in Nashville.

This year finds EVVAN releasing her debut EP. The title of the EP is Home. The songs on Home are a representation of what EVVAN terms as a personal awakening. In this awakening, she adapted her music and artistic identity. On this EP, the songs delve into areas of sexuality and gender, being accepted for what you are, self-discovery and relationships.

For the EP, EVVAN did all the lead vocals, played guitar, keys and piano. She also did some of the percussion.

Sean O'Brien did the EP's engineering and mixing. He also played guitars, banjo, mandolin and the B3. Sean is known for his band, Sean O'Brien and His Dirty Hands. Jorge Balbi is on drums and percussion. Jorge has worked with Teepee, Hanna Kim and Paulina Rubio among others. Graham Fink plays guitars and bass and does some background vocals. Marlana Sheetz is on the Mellotron, does percussion and backing vocals. Robbie Arnett is also on the Mellotron and does some backing vocals. Graham, Marlana and Robbie are all members of the indie pop band Milo Greene.

Wolf is the song that starts out the EP. It asks the question if you would follow the crowd or would you become something else, when you discover who you really are. It has melodic vocals and terrific alt folk music.

I'm Not Done Yet is about people not accepting who you are and others who do. In a press release for the EP, EVVAN talks about how the lyrics reflect not only her experiences but echoes what she's learned from members of the LGBTQ community. And that certain friends couldn't accept her and the responses of strangers on the street who only saw her as different. The song is melodic yet at times has a defiant tone.

Hurricane has an almost bluesy pop sound. It made think that the song might be a throwback to the Fleetwood Mac influence that I mentioned earlier. Moving on from a messy relationship and trying not to get drawn back is the main theme of the song.

Falling Over You has nice piano and guitar backing a fantastic ballad of maybe falling in love and will it be reciprocated.

The title track, Home, is the final entry on the EP. It is a great melodic song about being able to take the time to enjoy life and the people and things around you.

When I started listening to Home, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Given the subject matter, I thought that the songs might be filled with angst ridden lyrics and dark tones. But, instead, I found that the music was fluid and the vocals were lyrical. Even in the darker themes that sometimes came forth, EVVAN brought forth a more uplifting sound that you might expect.

Home is expected to be released on April 30, 2021.

To hear a couple of tracks from Home or to find out how to order the EP, visit the EVVAN official web site at https://www.evvanmusic.com/

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