Ever Green, Ever Rain gave me trouble at first. It starts with an instrumental synth clip that might be ambient if it weren’t so grounded, and then proceeds immediately into the dramatic swells and dips of We Live & We Die, a folky Americana song filled with angst. And that song ends kind of abruptly, after which we’re greeted by Wild in the Blood—an obvious single reminiscent of REM’s middle period.
In other words, it keeps you guessing.
This is Michael McArthur’s first album, after a string of singles. And it certainly feels like a collection of singles. Prisoner is a solid, smooth hit. Simple Kindness is the kind of song you want to play when it rains. Then there’s the countrified Warmer Months, and the delightful pure pop song, Save Me From The Fire.
Overall, this is a solid, contemplative album that requires your full attention because, frankly, it has such a soft touch that if you blink you’ll miss it.
