⚡️💥 SONG PREMIERE: "I Gotta Gurl"
Plus An Interview With Russ Gator Of The Evening Sons
If you discovered The Evening Sons’ debut album Tracks while flipping through vinyl at a record shop you might mistake the cover for a long lost California guitar pop gem.
And you definitely wouldn’t be disappointed when you got home and dropped the needle. This hard-charging collection of guitar-heavy alternative pop was created in Brighton, UK this year, but timeless West Coast vibes shine brightly from every irresistible hook, crunchy guitar riff, and lovesick lyric.
Imagine if ‘80s Dinosaur Jr., early ‘90s Teenage Fanclub, and late-‘90s Silver Sun got together for a Beach Boys covers album and recorded it in Rockford, Illinois. That might seem like an improbable combination of influences, but it totally works on standout songs like “Superspreader,” “Summer Rain” and “I Gotta Gurl.”
⚡️💥 SONG PREMIERE: “I Gotta Gurl”
Just HIT PLAY to get a first listen of “I GOTTA GURL”!
“I grew up on a musical diet of country rock and West Coast bands—Eagles, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Poco. Some of my favorite memories are as a kid listening to Beach Boys’ records in the car while on summer vacation,” said The Evening Sons’ vocalist, Russ Gator.
The band’s line up also includes Simon Goodrick (lead guitar), Chrissy Hainslin (guitar/backing vocals), Mark Wilkinson (bass), Jamie Dubronski (drums), Jason Douglas (guitar), and David Veltman (keys/vocals).
“Combine this with the late ‘70s/early ‘80s US TV invasion—aspirational stuff like the The Fall Guy, Magnum P.I., Knight Rider—and you’ve got a recipe for an Americana-obsessed kid. The other guys in the band also had similar influences growing up so I think The Evening Sons reflects these tastes combined with the later heavier, indie/alt scene bands we came to love,” Gator said.
I caught up with Gator by email as he and the band prepare for the Sept. 29 release of Tracks from LA-based Curation Records.
Russ Gator Interview
Congrats on the great new album. How did it all come together?
Russ Gator: Thanks! Weirdly, it came together quite quickly. We’d got together properly just before Covid happened so spent most of that period over the various lockdowns practicing and writing stuff. By the time things were relatively back to normal we had about 15 songs which we recorded over a week in a very nice studio.
You guys name Big Star and Cheap Trick as major influences. To your ears, are there clear examples of their fingerprints on Tracks?
Russ Gator: Yeah, musically there are nuances to both, the big glam guitars and harmonies of Big Star and Cheap Trick's punchy, chorus driven songs. Lyrically there are specific references to both bands in the songs for other fans to dig out.
We usually include a cover of ‘September Gurls’ in our live set, one of the greatest songs ever written in my opinion. Alex Chilton is still hugely underrated as a songwriter, he should be held aloft among the greats.
For me, ‘Superspreader’ and ‘I’ve Gotta Gurl’ are the two songs that really hit that power pop ethos—short, punchy, melodic, big choruses. I guess like all bands we have a melting pot of influences that we try and infuse our music with.
I also hear a lot of key '90s guitar pop references including The Lemonheads, Silver Sun and maybe a dash of Dinosaur Jr. (in the crunchy guitars). Who are some of your favorite '90s bands/albums?
Russ Gator: Absolutely, the album is certainly an homage to this period. We were all big fans of Dinosaur Jr. back in the late ‘80s, so they’re a major influence. I was also very much into a lot of the Sub Pop bands—Afghan Whigs’ Congregation was always on my turntable. I love The Lemonheads and Smudge.
The record that changed it all for me though was Teenage Fanclub’s A Catholic Education in 1990—there’s a lot of the sensibility of that record on Tracks. Later, Velvet Crush’s Teenage Symphonies to God, my soundtrack to summer ‘94; Further’s Griptape (the track ‘Cindy’s Sox’ on our record is a heart on sleeve nod to Further); and Fountains of Wayne’s s/t ‘96 classic is quite literally summer purified and distilled.
Then in ‘97, the mighty Silver Sun released their eponymous debut LP, possibly the greatest power pop record ever made, as if the Beach Boys and Cheap Trick had a beautiful baby.
Sonically, I think Tracks sits well alongside other modern alt/guitar pop bands like Supercrush and Spearside. Who do you consider your peers on the international scene?
Russ Gator: I hadn’t heard of Supercrush, but I’ve just listened and they sound great. Thanks for the tip off! Definitely simpatico.
I don’t think any of us are too clued up on contemporary bands really, there's so much stuff out there now its hard to keep up!
I really like a Canadian band called Slow Reader and also a Californian band called Niles Crane, they both have cross over elements with our sound I guess. Uni Boys are very cool, bringing back that late ‘70s new wave power pop, and Sunstack Jones are fantastic too.
The song "Superspreader" is (um) an infectious bit of pop song craft. Would you consider that a power pop song?
Russ Gator: Ha. Yes!
For me, ‘Superspreader’ and ‘I’ve Gotta Gurl’ are the two songs that really hit that power pop ethos—short, punchy, melodic, big choruses. I guess like all bands we have a melting pot of influences that we try and infuse our music with.
Obviously, you can’t be all things to all people but I personally think identity is key with bands. That said, I’m not sure we want to be pigeonholed. There’s so much overlap and complexity within musical genres anyway that it’s not too big a step from power pop to new wave or even country rock, for example, so done with care you can shift between them and still retain your ethos.
"Summer Rain" is another favorite from Tracks. Definitely more on the jangly end of the guitar pop spectrum. What was the inspiration there?
Russ Gator: Yeah, that one leans more toward our jangly ‘indie’ influences as you've said. It started out slightly more spiky new wave sounding and gradually morphed into something more West Coast I suppose.
Musically, that one was inspired by bands like The Tyde and Ride, who blend that jangle and pop song craft so well. Lyrically, like a lot of the songs on the record, it deals with relationships in a slightly sardonic way. The title is a nod to the Jan and Dean song ‘Like a Summer Rain,’ which I always loved. There are Teenage Fanclub references in the lyrics also for those who care to find them (haha).
What inspired you to write a dark rave up about Eagles star Glenn Frey?
Russ Gator: I think ‘Glenn Fry’ was possibly the first song we wrote together. We all dig the Eagles and Frey personified that ‘70s LA scene so much—especially the excess.
The apocryphal Eagles stories are fantastic because most of them are true (haha), so the song is really about embracing the rock and roll experience in all its facets, which Frey did in abundance.
Los Angeles-based Curation Records seems like the perfect label to release Tracks. How did that relationship come about?
Russ Gator: Absolutely. It's the dream team up!
I’ve been a big fan of Brent (Rademaker)'s work since the first Further record in the early ‘90s and followed his career through Beachwood Sparks and all the other stuff he’s been involved in.
We met about 10 years ago through a mutual friend over a shared love of Gene Clark and became firm friends. We were lucky enough to support his band GospelbeacH on one of their UK tours when The Evening Sons had just started. Brent has always been a big supporter of the band and the main force encouraging us to push forward and go for it.
Any plans for a West Coast U.S. tour to support the new album?
Russ Gator: We’d love to, there are 7 of us in the band so it could be a costly exercise haha. It’s on the agenda though!
Remember The Lightning—A Guitar Pop Journal
A new semi-annual music journal featuring some of today's best music writers on modern guitar pop, and talented modern artists on the music/genres that inspire them.
Exclusive contributions:
James Goodson (of Dazy) on Being Power Pop-Adjacent
Annie Zaleski on the Beths
Mo Troper on Chris Bell's "I Am The Cosmos"
Rob Nesbitt (of the Suitesixteen) on the Exploding Hearts
S.W. Lauden on the Whiffs (Our debut cover models!)
Mary E. Donnelly on Sloan
John M. Borack on Juniper
Paul Myers on Tinted Windows
Mike Randle on Popsicko's Off to a Bad Start
David Laing on Power Pop's Country Roots
PLUS: Custom Cover Art By Brian Walsby
Fantastic stuff
Why no CD???