After numerous delays, it was great to see the digital release of LA-based singer/guitarist/songwriter Evan Taubenfeld’s Welcome To The Blacklist Club, which has been in the works for the last several years. May is the perfect month in which to release a record like this because it has Sunny Days and Warm Beaches stamped all over it.
This release has many pluses to it but for the less casual listener, it may not offer much that is innovative-sounding or groundbreaking in its slightly more than 30 minutes of tunes. Simply put, it’s superior power pop for the new decade, full of zippy melodies, infectious vocalizing, solid musicianship, and most of all, Evan’s songwriting, which is alternately down-to-earth, witty, or cynical. The hopeless romantic in you will find favour with tracks like “Story of Me and You”, the new single “Pumpkin Pie”, or “Waiting”. The cynical rocker in you will like the bite of last year’s initial iTunes single “Cheater of the Year” or “Better Than You”. And the party hardy will enjoy the fun release of “It’s Like That” and the numerous pop culture references in last year’s first official single “Boy Meets Girl”. Quirkier yet are “Razorblade Limeade” and “Evan Way”, which features good friend Avril Lavigne (who also co-wrote it).
Many of the songs make you feel you’re not alone in this world with falling in and out of love, and not necessarily being successful at it. But it also puts aside sentimentality in favour of rocking out and having a great time. This is where Welcome To The Blacklist Club is at its best – in Evan’s rock’n roll world, everyone is welcome (“It’s Like That” is testament to that – “from California to Iraq”), and you’ll be glad you joined.
Check out songs from Welcome To The Blacklist Club on Evan’s MySpace page. They sound great in concert so be sure to check out Evan’s show when he’s on tour.
BILLCSMUSIC BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.