Mike Evin

'Life As a Lover' (album stream)

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Aug 25, 2015

Toronto-based singer-songwriter and piano man Mike Evin is embracing life and love on his new record, but before Life As a Lover officially lands later this week, Exclaim! is giving you an early listen to the LP in its entirety.
 
The new record hears Evin blending his soulful pop stylings with some synth-y experimentation. It was recorded with producer Howie Beck and hears the pair navigating new musical territory.
 
"Howie and I are both neophytes with analog synths, so that gave the whole process lots of excitement — a real sense of discovery," said Evin in a statement about the recording process. "We had no idea what we were doing! And playing synth bass is just so much fun."
 
The previously heard album opener "Have I Ever Loved?" gets the listener into Evin's synth-infused grooves, while tracks like "Alli," "Al Green" and "Darlin' Whenever" keep the ivory-tickling beats bouncing along. There are also slightly more sombre, introspective cuts like "If I Stay This Lonely" and "If There Is a One" included before it closes with the seven-minute long ode to origins, "Homelands."
 
Life As a Lover arrives on August 28, but you can scroll past Evin's upcoming tour dates to stream it right now in the player below.
 
Tour dates:
 
09/10 Kitchener, ON - Cafe Pyrus
09/11 Peterborough, ON - The Garnet
09/12 Kingston, ON - The Artel 
09/16 Hamilton, ON - The Staircase 
09/17 London, ON - London Music Club 
09/24 Montreal, QC - House Concert 
09/25 St-Andrews, NB - Salty Towers 
09/26 Moncton, NB - House Concert 
09/30 Halifax, NS - The Company House 
10/01 Fredericton, NB - The Grad House 
10/02 Quebec City, QC - Fou Bar 
10/03 Montreal, QC - Casa Del Popolo 
10/04 Wakefield, QC - The Blacksheep Inn
10/09 Sudbury, ON - Fromagerie Elgin
10/13 Winnipeg, MB - The Neighbourhood Bookstore and Cafe
10/14 Clandeboye, MB - House Concert
10/15 Grenfell, SK - House Concert
10/16 Moose Jaw, SK - The Common
10/17 Regina, SK - Creative City Centre 
10/18 Saskatoon, SK - The Bassment 
10/20 Edmonton, AB - Cha Island
10/23 Vernon, BC - Triumph Coffee
10/24 Chilliwack, BC - Bozzini's 
10/25 Duncan, BC - Duncan Showroom
10/27 Port Alberni, BC - Char's Landing
10/28 Vancouver, BC - The Railway Club
10/31 Forget, SK - The Happy Nun 
11/01 Jamestown, ND - House Concert
11/02 Madison, WI - House Concert 
11/04 Lansing, MI - House Concert 
11/10 Toronto, ON - The Burdock Music Hall 

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