“Evening Song” The Chairman Dances
Indie art pop, rock and folk band out of Philadelphia. Led by singer-songwriter Eric Krewson, the band has produced nine albums since 2011. The music embraces a range of styles from dream pop and folk to alt-country and even yacht rock, “drawing on a range of literary and theological themes” to explore elements of contemporary and spiritual life. “Evening Song” tells the story of Maggie and Chris, two people who are dating and spend two evenings together—one in Maggie’s apartment on New Year’s Eve and the other at a lake. The lyrics are drawn from an original poem Krewson penned in pentameter. RIYL: Bright Eyes, Better Oblivion Community Center.
— Francis

Recommended: 2, 12, 5, 3, 13, 6 No FCCs detected.

1. (3:18) Turn On The Lights, The Radio — Breezy and bright, swaying like a lazy afternoon on a tropical island.
2. (3:23) Faded & Fraying — Soft and sentimental with a hint of Americana. The longing sound of pedal steel guitar is prominent. ****
3. (2:28) We Rifled Through — Up-tempo and bouncy with a nice swing — like the pop standards of yesteryear. ***
4. (3:29) Struck By The Words — Light and jazzy, with chime-y keys and lush harmonies enveloping the lead vocals.
5. (3:37) Adventurous — Fun, skipping pop rock with a lively bass line, reminiscent of Paul Simon from the early 70s. ****
6. (4:10) Least Of These — Slow-tempo and contemplative. Deliberate beat and chamber-like soundscape highlighted by dulcimer and other keyboards. ***
7. (3:24) Where/When — Upbeat, with a mix of piano, strummed and picked guitars, a busy bass line and smooth vocals.
8. (0:44) Nocturne — Musical palette cleaner. A brief interlude breaking up the two evenings depicted in the songs.
9. (3:11) Listening — Funky, light rock with electric piano, organ and guitar.
10. (3:48) Silver In The Sun — Rich and full light pop with flowing vocals.
11. (4:01) Before You Know, The Day Is Done — Slow, swelling chamber pop with introspective lyrics. Syncopated drums and synth in the lead break.
12. (4:18) She Leans, They Kiss — Energetic, shuffling pop rock with palm-muted and other guitars. Sweet vocals. ****
13. (4:15) Hadn’t Tried — Light rock closing anthem, with metronome-like beat, pulsing synths, keys and catchy harmonies. ***