Review: Evangenitals - Evangenitals [EP]

Evangenitals – Evangenitals EP
2009, Evangenitals

Los Angeles musical gypsies the Evangenitals are either a deliriously obtuse experiment in musical realism, the outgrowth of serious medicative therapy or the benign side effects from a misspent youth. I am voting for all-of-the-above. Playwright/singer/songwriter Juli Crockett and Opera/Jazz singer Lisa Dee are the core around which Evangenitals coalesced in a decrepit bowling alley in Highland Park, California. The rest, as they say, is history. In 2009, Evangenitals released their third album, an eponymous EP that mixes Jazz, Folk, Americana, Country, Rock and anything else Crockett and the band could scrounge up on the way to rehearsal.

Evangenitals opens with Hello, a tuneful, melancholy bit of Lo-Fi Americana. It's a pleasing opener, and singer/songwriter Juli Crockett is impressive. Crockett is off the beaten track with an earthy vocal style and a charming, enigmatic alto. Hard Luck follows, a dandy bit of songwriting with exquisite instrumental work. Work Song is a dirge-like paean to a life that never changes. Drudgery is offset by a sort of congenial comfort. Imagine They Might Be Giants on downers. So Sweet features a strong melody and a nicely interwoven arrangement, creating a sweet sound that will make you want to hit replay each time the song ends. On Bad Town, Evangenitals offers a humorous send-up of small town life doled out with dark irony in a tight Americana arrangement. Evangenitals close with I'm Sad, returning to the overtly melancholy Country style where they started. The musicality here is wonderful even if the approach is a bit more Lo-Fi than you might initially expect, and Crockett captivates with a Lo-Fi approach ala Margo Timmins.

Evangenitals might slide off your radar at first blush if you're not careful. What sounds pleasant and innocuous on first listen blooms into complex subtleties and undertones as you listen more and more. This is a band you have to work a little to get, but the effort is well rewarded. Evangenitals is surprisingly accomplished, and I won't be a bit surprised if the band just keeps getting better.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Evangenitals at www.evangenitals.com or www.myspace.com/evangenitals. You can purchase the Evangenitals EP as either a CD or demonically priced Download via CDBaby.com.