Indie Music: Andy Evans "Miracle"

By Germar Derron

Andy Evans’ “I Wish She Was Mine,” from Miracle, hit home in the sweetest and most painful way. “A sight to see.” “Unforgettable.” “Unpredictable.” “I let it slip away and it f#@ks me up most days.” But you should listen to the song.  And it’s not just the lyrics or content. The feel of the song hits me from the opening acapella. I heard the pain in the vocal and I knew that the song would be about my recent love life. And even though this song sounds very common for the guy and guitar genre, the same can’t be said for the rest of the project.

Of course, a beautiful vocal leads each track, but the instrumental arrangement is always distinct. It’s a blend of genres and periods. Sometimes soulful or bluesy, and sometimes local bar rock grungy. I feel like Evans did this the right way. And if I’m wrong, props to him for making it seem that way. Everyone wants to be original, but you have to master the rules before you can break them. Miracle is a unique mix that works because Evans did his homework and then he did his thang.

“Make It” sounds huge, but not processed. Again, the sound transports me to my favorite tiny dive bar, where I’m wholly submersed in the sound and smell and people. Generally, the album sounds “indie.” I hear noise; it’s not polished. But that’s good; it works. And each instrument maintains its own space; there’s no clutter.

Oddly, I think the title track “Miracle” is the weakest of the bunch, even though it’s probably the most 2015 pop friendly. If you're a fan of the genre, go ahead and put “I Wish She Was Mine” on repeat now. If I still gave star ratings, I’d have to give this one a 3.5 out of 5. But I don’t do that anymore.