Toronto’s Mike Evin Is Back With A New Single, “Along the Way”
Heartfelt piano-pop troubadour Mike Evin releases “Along the Way,” on July 5th – the fourth single from his upcoming seventh album Something Stirs When You Sing.
Sometimes the most moving and resonant artistic expressions have humble beginnings. That’s the way it happened with Mike Evin’s “Along The Way,” a bittersweet, sentimental ode to the passage of time in daily living, with music that recalls the vocal style of Billy Joel’s “Don’t Ask Me Why,” and the melodicism of The Beatles’ “Here, There, and Everywhere.”
“‘Along The Way’ was actually commissioned by a fan, who asked me to write a song about the journey being more important than the destination,” says Evin. “It came out so effortlessly that I forgot about it for two years, later reconnecting with it and embracing its patient wisdom.”
Produced by Chris Stringer (Abigail Lapell, Rose Cousins), “Along The Way” is a profound meditation on the journey of life, built around rolling piano arpeggios and an expansive melody. Evin’s live-in-studio piano and vocal performance was captured at Toronto’s Union Sound on the legendary grand piano that has been played by everyone from Oscar Peterson to Jeremy Dutcher.
No click track or headphones were used, giving the song the live energy of Evin’s concert performances. The accompanying instrumental touches are minimal but transformative – traveling bass, ethereal chimes, and triangle, and a cloud of “ooh la la” background vocals.
Perhaps Evin’s vibe can be best described by his friend and close collaborator Jim Creeggan (of Barenaked Ladies): “Mike Evin taps into what motivates people and champions the search for happiness.”