The ever-talented Pianist and Musician, Evan Wish has released his solo piano album, titled Alone in a Crowd. Originally from Canada and now splitting his time between Los Angeles and France, Evan recorded this project at The Village Studios in Santa Monica. Remarkably, the album was made on the spot and recorded in about 10 hours across two days.
Evan co-produced the project alongside Grammy-nominated sound engineer Peter Granet. The tracks were also recorded in the order of composition which gave listeners an honest, heartfelt look into his personal feelings.
There’s a sense of intimacy you can feel just listening to this album. The album isn’t rigid or overly calculated. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The raw authenticity of this project is it’s greatest strength.
A part of Evan’s life is in his music and that statement becomes increasingly believable as the album unfolds. These aren’t simply ten piano pieces assembled for the sake of completing an album. They feel like snapshots of different emotional states, memories, relationships, struggles and moments of discovery. There’s joy, melancholy, romance, mystery, recovery and contemplation but most importantly, the music feels Human.
The album begins with “The Hill”, a brief but meaningful 2:18 composition that establishes the spirit of the project. For Evan, the title carries a metaphorical significance. Beginning an album and sitting down to create completely new music can itself feel like climbing a hill. There’s usually a challenge of finding the first melody, discovering the harmonies and deciding where the music should go. Evan describes having melodies and harmonies that serve as a starting point.
The second song is the album’s title track, “Alone in a Crowd” and it is also one of it’s most important pieces. The song gives the artist more room to develop his ideas. He describes this creation of the piece as a joy to watch unfold. The second time the main tune plays, Evan adds a lower background melody that builds extra emotion. The name came from an idea he had years back, inspired by how people can feel completely alone even when surrounded by others.
Anyone can experience this feeling, The idea of being alone in a crowd can mean many different things.
Fleeting beauty is a 3;39 composition with such a sense of depth. The piece moves at a moderate tempo and the listener is moved to sit with the music till it ends. The inspiration behind it is quite touching. Evans spent 10 days in Tokyo in 2019 while working to build support for possible concerts there. During that time, a Japanese friend named Toshiyuki helped him with introductions to influential people in the music and radio communities. Evans says that without Toshiyuki’s help, he would have been lost in the culture.
During a conversation over coffee, Toshiyuki explained that the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival translates into English as “fleeting beauty”. Evan found the phrase beautiful and remembered it. Later, while in the studio, he thought about that time in Tokyo and he decided that the composition needed that title.
August Moon Love is a romantic composition about Love, longing and waiting for the return of someone special to you. The full August moon becomes a symbol of Love and anticipation.
Falling into You also takes us down the lane of Evan’s creativity as he lets himself fall into the music.
Carousel is a track built around a repeating, circular musical feeling. It reflects the motion of a carousel and the repetitive nature of Life. It’s melody and harmonies create the sense of continually going around and around.
Sometime around Midnight is inspired by Evan’s quiet nightime piano sessions. It has this sophisticated vibe that he compares to a James Bond theme.
The album’s warm and emotional conclusion is the track I Like Us which was composed a year after the other pieces. It developed from a few simple opening notes into a fuller composition about connection, affection and the beauty of finding something worth keeping.
The album encompasses themes of Love, loneliness, self-discovery, creativity, beauty, loss, recovery, hope, memories and human connection, with each composition offering a glimpse into Evan Wish’s personal experience and emotions.
Alone In A Crowd is best described as a complete album. It is worth spending time with. The album doesn’t overwhelm you, instead it gives you a look into Evan Wish’s world.
For lovers of classical piano who want something a little different, this is an album you would enjoy listening to. It combines the skill of a classically trained concert pianist with the freedom of improvisation and the honesty of personal storytelling.
Evan Wish has taken his experiences and allowed them become music and sometimes that is the most powerful kind of music there is.
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