EVV Loses Their Mind In ‘Gemini’
I love when an artist is clearly on a roll. They release something good, which is followed up by something great, which is then followed up by something even better. They’re noticeably improving at what they do – their songwriting, performing, and with that comes confidence. Let’s talk about EVV’s ‘Gemini’ EP.
We’ve written about EVV before, their mix of blues, jazz and heavier rock sound can be found across their music beginning with their debut single ‘I’m Not Your Woman’ which was released at the end of 2019. EVV’s debut EP ‘Homebody’ followed a year later with three new tracks, including the single and music video ‘Dead To Me’. Their new Gemini EP contains two new songs recorded in 2020, the first of which is ‘I Want Your Love’.
A rhythmic strumming brings in this track with minimal guitar overdubs, and EVV’s wonderful voice diverts your attention away. The song remains purely vocal and guitar for the first verse and chorus, with EVV’s lyric always tugging at the heart:
‘I lost my mind again, and I’m out of patience, we’re out of time again, and I can’t see you waiting. So tell me what you know, and tell me what you want from me…’
There are tiny production choices that really open this music out, such as a sprinkling of lead guitar, placed opposite the rhythm in the mix, both of which remain fairly dry. The lead vocal eases into reverb territory, but it’s the backing vocals that bring it all together, an array of “Ooo’s” peaking from behind the curtain, like they’re overhearing EVV’s conversation in the lyric.
Once the drums lock down the beat, which are usually played by EVV themselves in the studio and by bugsy’s Alex Norman live, the backing vocals take on a more prominent role. It would be more accurate to describe them as a dual lead vocal at this point in the song. In a live situation, EVV’s line-up is augmented by bassist and backing vocalist Shannon Maroney (also of bugsy, and EVV’s bandmate in Allergen). Would Maroney perform these extra vocal parts when the band takes these songs to the stage?
EVV takes a guitar solo in a natural tone that isn’t overdone. In fact, nothing is overdone about this music. The guitar tones aren’t too crunchy, the drum performance rightly serves the song, there’s no overcrowding of additional overdubs, everything you hear on this song is meant to be there. Not everything is suitable for radio airplay, but this song most certainly is.
The EP’s flipside is something else entirely. Straight away the differences in EVV’s guitar playing make it known that this is straying into heavier territory. Snare drum builds up, bringing in more guitar before laying into the hi-hats. The band drop down for the verses, particularly in the second verse where guitar gives over to just a bass and drum accompaniment. The bass sound especially is thick and robust, with the lyrical theme following a similar thread from I Want Your Love:
‘Can you hear me? Are you listening? I’m tired of the guessing game you hold on me. I can’t take it, tell me it’s a dream…’
EVV has ventured into angrier songwriting before on ‘Dead To Me’, but the stark contrast of ‘Superficial Dedication’ against Gemini’s first track condenses the range of EVV’s energy, songwriting and performing skill down to a more obvious point. With the Gemini EP released in time for EVV’s birthday, is there any better way for a musician to celebrate?
1. Your new EP 'Gemini' was a project you started in September last year, what inspired you to base this around your birthday and the Gemini zodiac sign in general?
After dropping the 3rd track I (partially) recorded, I was trying to figure out the best way to release the songs. They were originally going to be saved and released this fall, but I really wanted to release new music! So I sat down with my roommate and we tried to encompass the duality of the tracks. I had mentioned ‘Gemini’ a few weeks ago, and he brought it up again, and I loved it! I based it around my birthday because it usually isn’t something I look forward to, but this release really sparked that excitement again.
2. Are you playing everything on this one like you did on your 'Homebody' EP?
I don’t play everything on this project! My friend Shannon played bass for both of the tracks, but I play/sing everything else.
3. The first song is 'I Want Your Love', how did the writing of that one come together?
‘I want your love’ was a song that I didn’t finish until the day before my last recording session. The song took many forms from April 2020 to May 2021 (over a year). I wrote the second melody in verse two, two days before recording it, and I wrote the harmonies the day before I recorded it. Both the verses and pre-courses were flipped in their order, which really changed the song. So a lot has changed!
4. 'I Want Your Love' features a lot of dual vocal parts, will Shannon Maroney be singing those parts live?
Yes! Shannon will be singing the dual parts! And their voice fits so well with this genre. It’s definitely fun because I’ve never heard the two parts live, only through memos and recordings.
5. 'Superficial Dedication' hugely contrasts with 'I Want Your Love', what kind of mood were you in to create something like Superficial Dedication?
The song is about a very specific person. I don’t get angry often, but they really treated me like crap. The song was originally named ‘neck beard bitch’, but I didn’t think they deserved that much credit. And the only way I could really process everything was by writing a song. And I’m really happy with how it came out, so a win for me!
6. Let's say you make a music video for each of these songs, what would those look like?
If I were to make a music video for ‘I want your love’, I’d want it to be in water/based in nature. Fighting against the elements, getting lost in a fantasy. Just really nice aesthetics! And if I were to make a music video for ‘superficial dedication’, I would want there to be a lot of fire and destruction, mixed with dark rooms and spotlights. I want a baseball bat to break something (I don’t know what it’d be).
7. This single release was originally going to be a three-track EP, what will the fate be of the third track?
The third track from the original project is going to be re-recorded, but its fate is still unknown!
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EVV’s music is available to download and stream in all the usual places.
Purchase merchandise and download EVV’s music via their Bandcamp page.
Follow EVV on Instagram and Twitter @evv_music.
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