NEW SINGLE “I ALMOST CALLED YOU BABE” IS OUT NOW
WATCH THE VIDEO AND STREAM THE SONG EVERYWHERE
Mike Evin has been wearing his heart on his sleeve for over 15 years, writing immediate and disarming piano pop songs with adventurous melodies that live inside you. The new jazz-tinged breakup ballad “I Almost Called You Babe”, his first new music in four years, may be his most emotionally raw song yet.
The intense song was written freshly after a big breakup, a couple of weeks before Evin was scheduled to go into the studio to record a new batch of songs. Almost pulling the plug on the recording sessions, Evin set aside some time to write and process his feelings. “I Almost Called You Babe” is a snapshot of those murky days after a breakup. Though never intended to be heard by anyone else, Evin and producer Chris Stringer (Rose Cousins, Timber Timbre) realised the song’s potency and captured it during an agonising couple of hours in the studio.
Choosing not to mess with the power of Evin’s live-off-the-floor piano and vocal take, all that was added was an elegant upright bass. The track is both a departure and a return for Evin — though he often performs solo in concert, this is the first time he’s captured that energy on record. No clicktrack. No headphones. Stringer and Evin were going for emotion over perfection.
Based in Toronto, Evin has developed a devoted fan base throughout North America and the UK. His honest and harmonically rich music has also made him a favourite among some of Canada’s most renowned musicians — like Barenaked Ladies and Ron Sexsmith. Originally from Montreal, Evin first gained exposure in 2005 with the vibrant and critically acclaimed I’ll Bring The Stereo, co-produced by Jim and Andy Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies fame. Since then he’s made a whole range of diverse albums. He’s toured and shared stages with BNL, Sarah Harmer, Sexsmith, Dan Mangan and Martha Wainwright, and his music has charted on CBC and Sirius XM.
Perhaps Evin’s spirit can be best described by his friend and close collaborator, Barenaked Ladies’ bassist Jim Creeggan: “Mike Evin taps into what motivates people and champions the search for happiness.”
“A rarity – a pop composer who isn’t afraid to use his wit or to wear his heart for all to hear.”
— CBC Radio
“Contagious energy … Mike Evin has all that it takes to get discovered by a wider audience.”
— Musicomania
“Mike Evin’s ‘Have I Ever Loved?’ is a modern classic.”
— Adam Levy (Norah Jones)
“Hauntingly beautiful vocals and mesmerizing music”
— Canadian Beats
“His music is fun, the spirit joyful, the hooks ridiculously plentiful.”
— Bob Mersereau (Top 100 Canadian)
“The next big thing”
— CBC Music