The ARIA award winning alter ego of Kevin Mitchell, Bob Evans is blessing our ears once again with this 80’s inspired album.
Bob Evans has unveiled his new album Tomorrowland off the back of his latest single ‘Concrete Heart’ which saw the artist produce a sunny track with a very Australian themed film clip to match. Evans has been working on the record for well over a year, finally releasing his highly anticipated sixth studio album this month.
The album sees him embracing a new and completely unique sound that hasn’t been seen yet from the acoustic melody king, embracing classic 1980’s production sounds that feature far more electric guitar and Juno synth that hasn’t yet been seen from the acclaimed artist.
‘Tomorrowland’ was produced during a rollercoaster 2020, with the initial recording for the album finishing just as the lockdowns began, making the process for the completion of the album much longer than his previous records. Despite the challenges of the lockdown, the album was completed during 2020 with Steven Schram mixing the record from his own home.
Once the album was finished, it became a waiting game for Evans on when he would release it, not wanting to release it without being able to tour. “I’ve been waiting longer than I ever have before to release an album after recording it,” he says. The acclaimed artist is stoked to be finally releasing his sixth album saying, “It’s a sense of relief and a feeling of pride of making a record that I think will be greater this time around because it’s been a much more difficult process.”
Whilst the lockdown proved incredibly difficult for all creatives, Evans has been able to see the silver lining of having no set deadlines or time constraints to produce the album. With all this extra time to sit on the record, he was able to get everything exactly how he wanted it, including spending many months perfecting the artwork for the album.
“Having all this time, whilst it is difficult to sit on a record for so long, I was able to really get everything exactly how I wanted it,” he says, “every aspect of the album – how it looks, how it sounds – everything is exactly how I wanted it. I’m just really really happy with it.”
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The album boasts a sound that is entirely different for the musician. Whilst forever drawing inspiration from Beatles-esque harmonies and melodies, this time around Evans wanted to produce a record with a more classic rock influence. He explained that his aim for Tomorrowland was to produce a record that was less focused on being “cute” and has a tougher edge and a more “adult feel” than some of his previous albums. The artist sourced a lot of inspiration for the album from 80’s rock powerhouses like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, pairing these classic rock influences with the pop-y guitar sounds of The Smiths and The Cure.
You can already see that Tomorrowland is set to be another stellar album, with an unheard-of sound from an unstoppable songsmith.
The album transcends decades, with the musician expressing that he wanted to produce a record that is enigmatic of the time it was produced, right down to having all the album artwork in black and white. “There’s something otherworldly about it,” says Evans, “[the main goal of the album] was to make it sound and look like you couldn’t quite tell which decade it was made in.”
Bob Evans explores and reflects on the memories and moments in his past that have shaped him in this record. Exploring themes of uncertainty about the future from not only his perspective but a more societal perspective. With the production for the record beginning in the wake of some of the worst bushfires Australia has ever seen and wrapping up during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the direction society is headed, and this overarching theme of uncertainty is ever-present throughout the record.
The fan favourite artist has also revealed he’ll be touring the country with his latest album in June, having held off on the release for so long to ensure he is able to get back to playing gigs and playing ‘Tomorrowland’ to his fans live. Evans has expressed just how much he is looking forward to getting back to performing live and playing gigs across the state: “I’m just so excited; like we all are to experience something that resembles a normal life.”
The musician further expressed his excitement at getting back to performing, saying that since he has been performing live since he was 18, playing gigs isn’t just a job for him, it’s his whole lifestyle. “After the last 12 months, every single venue is going to be like heaven.” He say’s “making music is what brings me joy… and touring, especially with this record that I am really proud of is going to feel amazing.”
Bob Evans has produced another stellar record, sure to delight his very loyal fans. Tomorrowland whilst boasting a new and unique sound is coupled with the raw and beautiful harmonies and melodies we are accustomed to seeing from the award-winning artist. The record is unlike anything we have seen from the accolade clad musician before and is sure to be a stand-alone record in his discography.
Catch Bob Evans in June at Sooki Lounge in Belgrave on the 24th, Bridge Hotel in Castlemaine on the 25th and Northcote Social Club on the 26th. You can buy tickets and check out all the deets via the website. In the meantime, check out ‘Tomorrowland’ below.
