Album Review :
Everfound - Colorful Alibis And Scandalous Smiles

Band: Everfound
Title: Colorful Alibis And Scandalous Smiles
Label: N/A
Release Date: May 31, 2009
Review By: Scott L

Tracklisting:

01. Lie Detector
02. Forget Me Knots
03. She Said
04. Thread By Thread
05. Crashing
06. Anthem Of A Heavy Heart (Not Alone)
07. Tangled
08. Spring
09. Bring Me Back
10. Believe In Love
11. Lady Liberty
12. Frail Fantasies

I have to admit that I was really looking forward to this CD. I thought “Anticipation” was the perfect title for their previously released EP because that’s exactly what it accomplished… building anticipation. Now that can be good and bad… because anticipation in a situation like this is kind of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, anticipation stirs the desire within the market. Which is good. On the other hand, anticipation can produce unrealistically high expectations. Which can be bad.

When I first put this CD in, I wasn’t sure about what I heard. Was it that I didn’t particularly like it? Or that it just wasn’t what I expected it to be. Because there’s a huge difference, but they feel kinda the same right off the bat. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m starting in as though you’re already as familiar with these guys as I am. So let me take a step back and lay a bit of foundation for you.

Everfound is a 4-piece out of Arvada, Colorado. All four band members have something in common; they’re all from the same family. No, not like the Partridge Family. Better. Way better. Everfound plays piano-driven pop rock with some amazing vocals. Having immigrated to America from Russia under less than conciliatory circumstances, these guys know first hand what it’s like to cast your cares upon God and live by faith. Music has always been a large part of their lives and it shows. The instrumentation on this CD is stellar. As is the production. And the packaging. And… well, you get the point. Suffice to say that there’s no shallow end to the talent pool these guys draw from. Add to this one of the most gripping voices in the industry and you’ve got the making of a powerhouse release.

But does it live up to the anticipation generated by the EP? Yes and no. “Bring Me Back” is still far and away my favorite track and is the only song off of the EP to make it onto this release. So the CD isn’t what I expected, but that certainly doesn’t mean that I don’t like it. Quite the contrary. It’s not what I thought it would be… but it’s still pretty stinkin’ awesome none-the-less. And, just like the EP, it grows on you more and more over time. I’m not sure that I can put my finger on any specifics, but their song writing seems somewhat unconventional. But alluring. And intriguing. And addictive. You can listen for a while, walk away, and literally be drawn back to it. The creativity and diversity are readily apparent on every single track. There are no cookie-cutter, formula songs here.

Style-wise, I’d put Everfound in roughly the same general category as Deas Vail, Set Forth, and One Republic. Add to that a musical quirkiness, for lack of a better term, not unlike that of Aaron Sprinkle. And by ‘quirkiness’ I mean a willingness to go your own way and experiment a little bit. Some of the songs take what you think of the song and turn it upside down… and leave you with something totally unexpected and beautiful as a result. Keys play a huge role on this CD. As do the vocals. Everything else, while adeptly played, really takes a backseat to these two elements. Yet it never comes across unbalanced. You can think of it like this… we have a local restaurant here called Club Paris. And Club Paris is known for it’s steaks. Now when you go there for dinner you’ll be treated to a great many peripheral things to round out the meal. But it all comes back to that 20-ounce blackened ribeye. And that’s what leaves you thankful that God saw fit to make you a carnivore. In a similar way, it’s the vocals and the ivory that will stick with you on this CD. And they’re the pieces that really push the songs to the next level. Everything’s good. Everything works together in a complimentary fashion. But it’s the voice and the keys that bring the music off the disk and give it a life of its own.

Lyrically, Everfound is pretty much all that you’d expect. Heartfelt songs that convey a message of hope that can only come from God. There are some tracks that are more issue oriented and some that are more spiritually challenging than others. But on the whole, the lyrics are well-balanced and well-crafted. Consider “Tangled” which is a beautiful ballad that says, “wake my life to meaning / when our eyes first met / set afire the future / and though I’m still a mess / all of my highs / every smile / tangled up / tied to you / all of my tears / every fear / tangled up / tied to you”. Or “Lady Liberty” which is almost a testimony put to music, “there are days I feel like a puppet / my soul strapped in a straight jacket / please don’t leave me so / mercy on my soul / when I was eight called your name / demons break / you’re the same / I have changed / there are days you feel like a habit / even days I dare to forget it / oh please don’t leave me so / mercy on my soul”.

The standout track, as I mentioned earlier, was “Bring Me Back”. Although, previously released on their EP, I’m still convinced that this song plus radio play equals stardom. I know that’s not Everfound’s overall goal… but the song really deserves to be heard… and, hey, popularity means a bigger harvest field.

Here’s a couple words from Ruslan, “The process of recording this CD was very different from any of our previous recording experiences. We wrote over 50 songs for the album 12 of which made the cut. We’ve been writing for over 2 years for the record and when it actually came time to record we did most of the pre-production work ourselves in our living room and our producer Tommy Collier helped out some when we went into the studio. When we began tracking we took a lot of time making sure we’re happy with sounds and such. This was different from our previous recordings where there was typically a major time crunch. We had more time to work on this record and we’ve already began writing songs for the next album. We’re hoping to have an even larger catalog of songs written to choose from for the new record we’re hoping to start recording this winter. We made it a goal to release at least 1 album every year. Record it during the winter, and tour with it during the summer months. Right now we’re working with a company out of LA who will be handling our marketing and public relations. We’re expecting this album to be big as its not even released yet and God is already using it to glorify His name. We feel very privileged to have released this record completely on our own. God is leading us on to a new level and he is closing some doors but always opening new, bigger doors. For example our last record was distributed by ourselves mostly. This new record may be distributed in a very popular store that’s in almost every mall in America and that’s huge for us because we sing about God and His love so it’s a great ministry opportunity. Last year we broke over 150 shows, this year we’re shooting to play at least 200 and so far it’s been a success as God keeps opening doors. We’re excited!”

Everfound is poised to release a remarkable CD. To say that it’s highly anticipated by many would be an understatement. From all accounts, their fan base seems to be increasing and I personally see no reason that “Colorful Alibis And Scandalous Smiles” should do anything but add to the momentum.

Overall: Everfound is an up and coming band that is ready to officially come into it’s own. Their soon to be released full-length CD is well worth your time to check out. It drops on May 31st so keep an eye on your calendar. And in the meantime, tell all your friends to do the same.  

www.myspace.com/everfound