The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureMusicAlbum reviews

Tom Grennan – Evering Road

Tom Grennan – Evering Road | Album review
12 March 2021
Georgia Howlett
Avatar
Georgia Howlett
12 March 2021

Music review

Georgia Howlett

Evering Road

★★★★★

Release date

12th March 2021

Highlights

This Is the Place, If Only

Links

Twitter Facebook Instagram Website

Bedford-born Tom Grennan achieved huge success with his debut album, Lighting Matches, tipping him as a promising act for 2018. His latest release, Evering Road, confirms the upward trajectory of the 26 year-old grafter. Named after the street on which he lived with his girlfriend, 14 songs document the end of a three-year relationship. It’s a dynamic, deep-feeling letter of apologies and gratitude, attempting to make amends for a phase of toxic behaviour. Steering clear of wallowing over wrongdoings, the record’s animated sound lifts his story for a more reformed reflection. 

Much of the strength of Evering Road is owed to its structure, the order of songs supporting the linear progression of his story. Regardless, many tracks are standalone statements with individual purpose, and an urgency that will pulsate through stadiums. This Is the Place and Little Bit of Love are punchy singles, buzzing with the addictiveness of eager, crowd-capturing pop. If Only and Something Better possess similar breadth, with soulful backing vocals and jumpy piano melodies generating a blazing richness. 

Amen is driven by a heavy Hozier-style undercurrent and a chorus of powerful gospel heights. It’s a rough tracing of the internal battle of making decisions align with genuine desires, in which the artist’s rapturous sound is particularly evident. The track’s explosiveness runs the risk of being overdone, but he reins it in at its peak, leaving a strong message simmering for listeners to interpret. Grennan knows his strengths and how to use them. 

Multiple tracks distinguish this singer from mainstream pop-rock with atypical approaches and a refreshing sound. Oh Please opens euphorically, strongly inspired by Curtis Mayfield, and manifests the magnetic spirit of Manhattan. Lyrics embrace an exciting shift in mindset towards choosing grace and growth over anger when a chapter ends.

Evering Road is coloured with influences by Grennan’s inspirations, both from notable producers and from various genres. Soul is the most apparent, elevating hope amid emotional themes. Make Up My Mind is an eloquent confession from a confused heart, and Sweeter Then, also a lovely listen, is a softer apology that sparks a summer solstice nostalgia. Love Has Different Ways of Saying Goodbye, albeit bittersweet, oozes with the light-footed zest of Plan B, and closes the album, after the second half of emotive ballads that echo the weighty pull of Adele.

Tom Grennan’s absolute motivation captures all the moving parts of a challenging life transition. Despite his relative newness to the scene, the singer has a mature, heart-worn sound and charismatic energy. His devotion to doing Evering Road justice is displayed with fiery confidence, and it is hard to find songs here that won’t surely torch arenas with their momentum.

★★★★★

Georgie Cowan-Turner

Evering Road is released on 12th March 2021. For further information or to order the album visit Tom Grennan’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Little Bit of Love here:

Related Itemsreview

More in Album reviews

The Fratellis – Half Drunk Under a Full Moon

★★★★★
Georgia Howlett
Read More

Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg

★★★★★
Mark Worgan
Read More

The Snuts – WL

★★★★★
Francis Nash
Read More

Mike Clerk – The Space Between My Ears

★★★★★
Georgia Howlett
Read More

Max Richter – Voices 2

★★★★★
Catherine Sedgwick
Read More

Evanescence – The Bitter Truth

★★★★★
Emma-Jane Betts
Read More

Ben Howard – Collections from the Whiteout

★★★★★
Mark Worgan
Read More

Justin Bieber – Justice

★★★★★
Bev Lung
Read More

Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails over the Country Club

★★★★★
Jonathan Marshall
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Music review

Georgia Howlett

Evering Road

★★★★★

Release date

12th March 2021

Highlights

This Is the Place, If Only

Links

Twitter Facebook Instagram Website

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • The Fratellis – Half Drunk Under a Full Moon
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Power
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Madame Claude
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Playfight at Finborough Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Hysterical! The Hilarious History of Hystery at Theatre Royal Stratford East Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Celebrate the EE BAFTAs this Sunday with Claude Bosi’s free virtual dining experience
    Food & Drinks
  • Shake Shack launches limited edition Vegan Crispy Shallot Burger in partnership with chef Neil Rankin
    Food & Drinks
  • Nutrition Kitchen: Fresh, diverse meal plans to satisfy both fitness fanatics and hardcore foodies
    Food & Drinks
  • Red Rage
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Final Days
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Playfight at Finborough Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Power
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Godzilla vs Kong: A colossal brawl that magnificently delivers what we tuned in to see
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Wellington Paranormal
    ★★★★★
    vod
  • Worn Stories
    ★★★★★
    netflix
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Your Old Vic: Aisha (The Black Album) at the Old Vic Online | Theatre review
The Heiress | Movie review