Andy Evans
Miracle
(self-released)

Texas musical maniac Andy Evans’ latest record, Miracle, features delicious guitar lines and tasty vocals. Getting past the noise loop of “Intro,” we fly right into the poppy title track with Evans’ blurpy-sounding guitar leading opening and rolling around his strong vocals and the tune’s overall love song groove. “Lesson Learned” is a flippy turn-around of acoustic guitar noodling and well-placed tinkling piano; when the lead finally comes around on this fine ballad, it floats single-note crying above a big fretless bass and claves backing. The ending glistening subtle leading here truly shows off what Evans can do. “Judas” features a low-down, metallic growl that plods into heavy metal bite (truly the heaviest Evans gets here). The verses showcase a distorted vocal over equally distorted power chords into a roiling, fast chorus; it’s a real nasty rocker. Evans manages what sounds like some harmonizing leads at the end, reminding me of Martin Barre actually. “I Wish She Was Mine” starts with a vocals-only plead from Evans into a big snapping snare and organ ballad blues; there’s lots of Clapton in his playing here. “Elemental” is more blues, organ and electric piano-based, while “Make It” ends the album, a big surf slow blues tune, Evans channeling latter day Gary Moore with his runs, bends and echoey distortion. It’s his most striking leading on Miracle I feel. Growing up in Charlottesville, VA, influenced by Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Rush, as much as Texas country, gospel and “red dirt” music, Miracle shows all of Andy Evans’ tastes and his accomplishments as a player.