There’s no experience quite like stepping into the world of a new record for the first time, and Will Evans’ fans are very lucky in that department this spring. Will recently released his 16-track After The Burnt Out Sun album, and to call it an album feels like a description that simply falls short. Throughout the immersive project, he truly lives up to the “musical medicine maker” nickname in his Instagram bio, prompting healing and self-reflection as the story unfolds.
“It feels great to get it out of my head and into the world,” Will tells TREMG. “Initial reaction has been positive being that it’s a 16-song album. I’m excited for fans to really spend some time with it and get a chance to digest all of the offerings.”
On opener “On The Run,” Will muses, “When we lose our connection, our reflection is on the run,” which you can consider a thesis statement for the songs that follow. A lot of After The Burnt Out Sun explores how we engage with those around us and how they change our mindset, which is even more poignant with Will’s daughter, who was born in 2019, in mind. Touching on everything from pain (some of which even led to lower lumbar surgery) to evolution, it’s clear that this is a project he’d be proud for her to listen to as she gets older, diving into the importance of unity and love and how both are a crucial part of healing.
“Something so profound as bringing new life into this world certainly had an impact,” Will shares. “I wouldn’t say it changed my process… having such a human experience gave me a deeper well to draw from when writing this record.”
You may already know Will as the longtime frontman of New England’s own Barefoot Truth, but even if you do, you’ve never heard him like this before. After The Burnt Out Sun sees Will truly coming into his own as a soloist and making the music he was destined to make, channeling his life experience into something that will touch listeners worldwide with even just a single song.
“For the band, I would try to find a way to make everyone feel like they had a part or moment to shine on a song,” Will explains. “Now I just follow my intuition and do what’s best for the song.”
You can find After The Burnt Out Sun on your favorite streaming services now, and get to know Will Evans on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and his official website! Keep reading for more from our conversation with this awe-inspiring artist.
Hi Will, congrats on your new album, After The Burnt Out Sun! How does it feel to finally share the project with the world and see how fans are reacting?
It feels great to get it out of my head and into the world. Initial reaction has been positive being that it’s a 16-song album. I’m excited for fans to really spend some time with it and get a chance to digest all of the offerings.
A lot of the After The Burnt Out Sun album is inspired by your daughter, Hazy Rose, which is so sweet! Do you feel that fatherhood changed your view on your art or process?
Something so profound as bringing new life into this world certainly had an impact. I wouldn’t say it changed my process… having such a human experience gave me a deeper well to draw from when writing this record.
Which song on After The Burnt Out Sun means the most to you and why?
I couldn’t pick one because it was truly written as a journey, meant to be listened to all the way through. There is a very purposeful ebb and flow throughout so that the listener feels the dynamics shift and stays on their toes. Best listened to on vinyl or CD.
There are so many thought-provoking lyrics on After The Burnt Out Sun, with one of our favorites being “only die once but we live every day.” Is there a certain lyric on the album you’re especially proud of?
The bridge section of “All My Relations” is probably my favorite lyrical moment, also where I got the album title from. “Over the world / Hope it hovers / Like a lighthouse lonely song / One day we will wake up in a league of lovers / And we’ll fight against our wrongs / If we were led here and our lives were fated / As if guided one by one / Shall we meet again will our souls be mated / After the burnt out sun…”
Which songs on After The Burnt Out Sun took the shortest and longest amounts of time to make?
Shortest was probably “Rogue” as it was one of those tunes that just came through effortlessly and I wanted to keep the production simple. Hardest was “Already Gone” which we put a lot of pop sensibility into, and had multiple mixes done.
If there’s one message listeners take away from After The Burnt Out Sun, what would you want that message to be?
Healing is a cycle.
In addition to your solo career, you’ve also been the frontman of Barefoot Truth and released four albums with the group! How does your approach to your own work differ from how you approached band-focused work?
For the band, I would try to find a way to make everyone feel like they had a part or moment to shine on a song. Now I just follow my intuition and do what’s best for the song.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with your music already, which of the songs on After The Burnt Out Sun would you recommend to them to get a feel for who you are as an artist?
“All My Relations,” “Messenger,” “Bridge with No Name.”
We at TREMG love getting to know new artists who haven’t gotten the success or attention they deserve. Who are some of your favorite underrated artists at the moment?
Brian Chartrand, Paul Izak, Pohia.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2023?
More releases, more shows.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on?
“It only takes one light!“
By Madison Murray
Featured Image: Gal Sharony
