Easy Evans | At Ease

Album Review: Easy Evans | At Ease
by Brent Faulkner

Upstart independent R&B singer Easy Evans delivers a solid, though
not necessarily exceptional effort on his debut EP At Ease. Easy has
the tools and the voice to ‘fly high’, as showcased through the
strongest, most cohesive material of the EP, but at times Evans could
stand to push his gentle tenor vocals to the next dimension. Sure, the
effort is entitled ‘At Ease,’ but when the lover man is the slightest
bit more overt is when he ultimately shines.

“At Ease” is a solid opener, if the slightest bit ‘light.’ The
jazz-leaning urban harmonies are both appropriate and enjoyable.
Evans’s vocals are breezy, but one would wish that as a vocalist he
would push himself more. “It’s True” is a better cut, mainly because
Evans pours out more soulful energy and assertion as a vocalist. The
production work is well executed as is the songwriting. The only
quibble may be that despite the fact that “It’s True” is a standout,
will it stand the test of time? While the answer is probably not, it is
a solid start for Evans.

“Not 2 Late” features some captivating production ideas, but suffers
from sounding a bit ‘cheap.‘ That’s not a chastisement on the
independent R&B market, but a few more ‘tricks’ may have put this
cut ‘over-the-top.’ The vocal production on the verses is a bit
unrefined, which is unfortunate for Evans. The chorus is better
produced and helps atone for any other improprieties. “Let Loose”
cleans up any excesses from “Not 2 Late” providing exceptional
production work and solid vocal production. The instrumental break at
the end is a bit too drawn out and could have saved the cut a couple of
seconds, but overall Evans holds it down here.

“May I” is solid and features a well penned chorus: “May I have your
hand/put on your wedding band/ show you I can/make you secure and
stable.” It is simplistic, but it recalls the ‘golden age’ of R&B
music, which is always a plus. “Talk To Me” is a show stopper opening
with the traditional electric piano sounds and exploiting an
old-fashioned adult contemporary R&B sound. The only issue is that
cut could stand a bit more direction to take it to the next level.
Closing cut “Miss Communication,” and obvious play on words, features
great production work, but it does not come over as falling into Easy’s
comfort zone. The vocals on the verse seem flustered and the intonation
falls short because of the forced, speedy nature of the lyrical lines.
Thankfully, the chorus brings the cut closer together, not to mention
the production.

Essentially, At Ease is solid, but flawed. Easy Evans is best when
singing more traditional-leaning R&B as opposed to trying to
assimilate to the gimmicks of contemporary R&B. Sure, that is an
‘old-fashioned’ approach, but Evans’s voice is indigenous to the revered
R&B male vocalist of the 1980s and early 1990s – Keith Sweat,
Freddie Jackson, Gerald LeVert, Johnny Gill – who were more suited for
adult contemporary ballads than up tempo dance numbers. When Easy is
‘himself’ he succeeds much more often than not.