Mikal Evans
- May 30 - Gypsy G's, Greenville, SC (CD Release Party)
- May 29 - Snug Harbor, Charlotte, NC
- May 30 - Gypsy G's, Greenville, SC
- Jun 5 - The Cave, Chapel Hill, NC
- Jun 6 - Black Cat, Washington, DC w/ Hackensaw Boys
- Jun 7 - Spike Hill, Brooklyn, NY
- Jun 21 - The Map Room, Charleston, SC
Releases
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Mikal Evans
Ethereal, ambient, thoughtful, sincere, moody are a few adjectives that might fairly describe Mikal Evan's musical style. Rich with thick reverb, dark, gritty guitar tones and haunting words, her unique musical expression conveys an honest human emotion which, at times, stands in direct contrast to her calming vocal delivery. In bending the trailing syllables of certain words, Evan's distinctive vocal phrasing—in combination with her unusual chordal combinations—aids in extending the overall effect of what she is emoting; It gives the listener a sense of connection from one thought to the next and of constant, almost tidal, movement throughout each song. As a result, her spirit remains long after these songs are over. These are not "hooky", "poppy" songs. These are songs that challenge the listener to find his or her own meaning and mood in the interpretation of them. And though her meaning is often left to the imagination of the listener, her words betray an overall seriousness—an intensity that cannot be faked or fabricated—which is clearly the product of an introspective, curious, searching personality. In a seedy, formula driven, music industry—rife with female sexploitation and tone deaf (just be pretty) pop rock stars—hers is a voice, and expression that demands to be taken seriously.
Mikal Evans grew up in an early 1900's schoolhouse in Moore, South Carolina with her mother, father and two siblings. Upstairs, in a gymnasium turned recording studio, her father—also a musician and recording engineer—was usually recording one band or another into the wee hours of the morning. These early childhood experiences—growing up around musicians and often being in the company of generally creative people—must have influenced her decision to learn the guitar and write music while at boarding school in Greenville, SC. Evans continued to dabble in songwriting while majoring in theater at SMU University. Soon after graduation, she was transplanted from Texas to Washington, DC—in pursuit of acting—where, while playing an open mic at Iota Cafe, she was spotted by the owners of Gypsy Eyes Records and was soon signed to their label. Hers is the classic story of fate versus intention.
Her forthcoming EP "A Jailhouse… A Kingdom" is scheduled for release by Gypsy Eyes Records in May of 2008. This effort is divergent from her earlier work. It could be said that she has matured; evolved from a "moody folk" novice into a "Indie rock" artist. The DCist wrote: "Evans' style is best summed up by an observation from one audience member: "This reminds me of a really good P.J Harvey song. To her credit, Evans has sincerity by the bucket. Like her raspy voice, her melodies seem to prize honesty over prettiness."
In the short period between her first demo recordings and her newest EP, it would appear that she has spent the majority of her time searching for the proper delivery of her songs. This is a woman who is coming into herself as an artist and as she becomes more comfortable with her song writing, so too, it seems, is she getting closer to her southern youth. Though her South Carolina roots do not clearly reveal themselves in her earlier music, more recent songs like "Old Dirt Road" and "Virgin Wind"—each with it's own slight, country tinge—do give us a pinhole glimpse into her southern flavor. It is patently clear, however, that Mikal Evans is not your stereotypical, demure southern belle…