Mike Evin

SELECT QUOTES

“Mike Evin’s ‘Have I Ever Loved?’ is a modern classic.”
- Adam Levy (Norah Jones)

“Mike Evin taps into what motivates people, and champions the search for happiness.”
- Jim Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies)

“The next big thing”
- CBC Radio 2

“Simply incredible”
- Cashbox

“Contagious energy … Mike Evin has all that it takes to get discovered by a wider audience.”
- Musicomania

“Catchy, sad, joyous and beautiful. Nice combination.”
- Michael Wrycraft (JUNO-winning designer)

“Hauntingly beautiful vocals and mesmerizing music”
- Canadian Beats

“His music is fun, the spirit joyful, the hooks ridiculously plentiful.”
- Bob Mersereau (Author, The Top 100 Canadian Albums)

“A wonderful songwriter, musician and singer, Mike Evin is also a fearless performer who was born to be on a stage.”
- Blair Packham (booker of Bluebird North and acclaimed songwriter)

“An A-level performer and a great musician. My audiences have enjoyed his shows very much.”
- Mike Campbell (booker of The Carleton and the Halifax Urban Folk Festival)

“Beautifully human songs”
- Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith, The Rheostatics)

“Heartwarming…”
- Exclaim!

“He's fucking amazing.”
- Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies)

“Amazingly uplifting and soulful…”

- Novella Magazine

“Did you ever wish the sweet pop sounds of Ben Folds Five had a little more funk?”
- Soundbird Music


“Evin’s soulful folk-infused pop sound is equal parts infectious and smooth, it’s a track that deserves a great deal more attention”

- Halifax Bloggers

“Impeccable musicianship combined with a remarkable ability to create catchy hooks”

- Lonely Vagabond

“Mike Evin’s musical savvy and good-times attitude do indeed make him the best national treasure you’ve never heard.”

- Soundproof Magazine



“Mike Evin reimagined the piano-pop songbook.”

- Indy Weekly



“A breath of fresh air in a stale business.”

- Steve Chrismar (George Thorogood and the Destroyers)

“The songs somehow feel intimate, like a private conversation, but also make you want to sing along and when it comes to being a charismatic piano man, in my opinion, that’s what it’s all about.”
- Herohill

“Good Watermelon‘s combination of wit and wide-eyed innocence is beginning to establish Evin as a voice to be reckoned with within the Canadian music scene.”
- Jason Schneider (Have Not Been The Same)

“Pop for purely pop’s sake”
- Ottawa Xpress

“A rarity – a pop composer who isn’t afraid to use his wit or to wear his heart for all to hear.”
- CBC Radio

“Like a hammer hitting squarely on the nail every time, he hits a vein with every song on this eleven-track gem.”
- CD Baby Editor’s Pick

“It’s refreshing to hear a young pianist with so much power-pop punch and such a great ear for arrangements.”
- Eye Weekly - Various

This is another track that arrived in our inbox recently, and it’s been working on welding our repeat button down into place. Evin’s soulful folk-infused pop sound is equal parts infectious and smooth, it’s a track that deserves a great deal more attention especially with the recent influx of soul-influenced pop/rock tunes. Have a listen and get acquainted with Mike Evin’s first single off of his latest (5th) studio album Life as a Lover. - Halifax Bloggers

Mike Evin’s “Have I Ever Loved?”: simple concept, masterful execution. It’s A beautiful clip that accomplishes being funny, charming, heart-warming, and haunting all at once. Top-notch work here. - Independent Clauses

Mike Evin has recently released his new single Have I Ever Loved from his fifth upcoming full-length album called Life As A Lover. The new single by the singer and songwriter is just a taste of how amazingly uplifting and soulful his music is. His lively vocals combined with the wistful piano add an upbeat element to the heartfelt lyrics. Life As A Lover was produced by JUNO-nominated Howie Beck (Fiest, Walk Off The Earth) and will release later this year. Though he’s from Montreal, he’s now settled in Toronto where he will be playing upcoming shows including one at the Supermarket on February 12th. - Novella Magazine

Taken off of Mike Evin’s fifth studio album Life As A Lover, “Have I Ever Loved?” is a track that throws me back to the good old Jason Mraz days (before “I’m Yours”). It’s got a cool jazzy spice to it and I’m loving the sound of the piano because it’s on the deeper octaves that give the track a whole other dynamic. - Abduction Radiation

We weren’t sure what to expect when we saw the promo picture of Mike Evin surrounded by a shuffle of elderly people but we were treated to a video and song that are just completely charming. The warmth and tenderness of Evin’s vocals is mirrored in the visuals, the keys and whole tone of the song. - Alphabet Bands

Did you ever wish the sweet pop sounds of Ben Folds Five had a little more funk? Well Mike Evin’s new single “Have I Ever Loved” off his new album Life As A Lover takes that cool pop sound and funks the hell out of it.

Seriously; its only a matter of time until Sean Kingston rips off the piano lick and makes millions off of it.

Regardless, check it out. - Soundbird Music

Bluesy piano riffs, lip curling electric guitar, and senior citizens are all defining characteristics of Mike Evin’s newest single, “Have I Ever Loved?” With more songs to come in the winter of 2015, this first taste is presented by a loveably captivating music video. The main stars of the video are residents of Sandy Cove retirement community in Ontario, who sing and dance along with Evin to set not only a quirky, but also reflective tone to the piece. While seeing them act out the ever-present handclaps of the song is endearing, some of the lip-synching is accompanied by acting that gives the lyrics a deeper impression of longing.

As a mellow-yet-vibing piano ballad, “Have I Ever Loved?” has the laid-back attitude and care for technique of Ben Folds. As Evin sings, “Have I ever touched or held her silently/ I think of love so much but thinking makes a mess of me,” his pure tone resonates along with synth bass and grooving electric piano. The catchiness of this song comes from its simplicity and hooking melodic lines that linger in your head.

While I enjoy the musical elements of the song itself, my favorite aspect of this single is that it is undeniably natural and true to Evin’s personal style. Through the lyricism and sound, you can hear Evin’s songwriting emerge as honest and unapologetic. Although hitting in the sometimes dangerous mid-tempo range that isn’t all too popular at the moment, “Have I Ever Loved” abstains from copying trendy movements in the industry, and that’s always welcome if you ask me.

Whether a fan of Mike Evin or not, check out the music video for “Have I Ever Loved.” It’s sure to get a smile out of you, if not a laugh as well. - UMusicians

Mike Evin, the Montreal-based indie artist with a knack for charming love songs (as illustrated by his recent album Life As A Lover, set to release this August), recently came out with the video for his popular single ‘Have I Ever Loved?’ He’s been active among the indie community since 2001 but is now making a comeback after his last album, Do You Feel The World? in 2011.

There’s a warm vibe coming from this video, especially with the warm tone and the heartfelt subject matter. The use of older people mouthing the words to the song throughout the video is cute, to say the least. It’s a charming video, certainly suited to the music. This music isn’t exactly up my alley, but it’s a bit catchy.

The video is so far successful in generating excitement for his new album; people are drawn to it and have nothing but nice things to say about both the song and the album. - RazMataz Magazine

Click on link to listen to podcast - A Journal of Musical Things

Toronto, ON based singer/songwriter, Mike Evin is about to release his 5th studio album, “Life As A Lover”. I have been a fan of Mike since I heard his previous single, “Have I Ever Loved?” Since then, he has released another single, “Al Green” which I enjoyed just as much and now we are two days away from the release of the new album. The album features both of these tracks along with eight others that are just as good.

The third song, “Alli” is extremely catchy and I found myself immersed in the the song from the beginning until the end. Mike carries a very unique style, which I have read is called Piano-Pop, and I can’t get enough of it.

“Darlin’ Whenever” is another that I would recommend to anyone, it’s slightly slower than the others but still has an upbeat tempo that pulled me in. “Homelands” closes the album, with it’s hauntingly beautiful vocals and mesmerizing music.

The album truly leaves you wanting more from Mike, and if you’re able to see him on his upcoming Fall tour, you definitely should! - Canadian Beats

Sultry, sexy, smooth: this is how the album opens up, with simple hand claps and piano. Mike Evin’s smooth and friendly voice draws you into his reminiscences of past loves. Joined by guitar and synths, “Have I Ever Loved” carries the ache of searching for true love. Mike’s rich musical past, experiences in different cultures and sincere admiration of greats like Al Green and Bill Withers all come together and gives Evin the innate ability to compose songs that are instantly engrained.

The very next song shows the flip side of Evin’s writing style. From soulful and reflective, the mood switches to playful with the song “Shake Well”, a nod to nutritional supplement beverages. It’s difficult not to sway to this song, and producer Howie Beck has wisely left Evin’s commentary between verses and choruses, the oh yas and exuberant woos that indicate the enthusiasm of the performance.

The rest of the album provides more songs of searching for true love, scattered with fun songs about babies and dogs and grandmothers. Evin has led a life of grand experiences but he is also able to observe the simple things in life and put them into song in a way that makes us all nostalgic.

Though the core of this album involves piano, percussion and guitar, Evin and Beck have incorporated bass, synths, bass synths and horns on this album. The horns give songs like “If I Stay This Lonely” an extra mournful sound while adding some swing to “Shake Well”. The organ and reverb on the vocals for “Darlin’ Whenever” might remind you of an 80’s chart topper and the hopeful lyrics just might bring back some teenage angst.

The outstanding track on this album is “Al Green”. Evin and his musical buddies Ben Whiteley and Adam Warner, along with Beck, have arranged a song that has the sound of a classic. And the sentiment! Oh the sentiment! “I don’t have the fire in me to kiss my sweetheart the way she needs.” This is not only a nod to the feeling that emanates from hits like “I’m Still in Love With You” and “Let’s Stay Together” but it magically reflects the burning desire to have that kind of love one day. Simply incredible.

From the torturous search for a monumental love to the free-wheeling spirit that just wants to make the most of this life, the album has a little something for all of us, every day. It’s a bright and hopeful album, one that lifts you up and brings you hope and joy. And sexiness. - Cashbox Magazine

You wanna write hits? Practice practice practice, of course. Work hard at it. And it doesn't hurt to learn the history either. That's how songwriter Mike Evin got hooked back when he was going to Concordia University. He found out he could study old pop music, something he'd already been doing on his own anyway.

"I guess it started when I was a kid and I loved Motown," Evin explains, at home in Toronto. "I loved a lot of '50's and '60's music, I just loved listening to oldies radio. It started with Motown and then I discovered Stax, kinda branched out from there into the world of soul music. Then I took a History of Rock and Roll class when I was in university, and discovered r'n'b music from the '40's and '50's, and the folk and blues world. I remember very specifically when I discovered this CD at the library, it was this generic pre-war blues compilation. That was when I first heard Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, all those guys, all on that one CD, and it just blew me away. I love going back and back, and getting into the roots of the music I love."

Armed with all that education and influence, Evin has built up a career making classic pop music, the kind you'd find in a second-hand store. His music is fun, the spirit joyful, the hooks ridiculously plentiful. If you're going to title a song Al Green, you had better live up to the title, and Evin's sure does. "Someday I wanna be in love and sing like Al Green," goes the hook line, over big piano chords and lots of oo-oo-oo's. It's the single from his new Life As A Lover collection, which is positively swimming in all those good-feeling songs, words and melodies.

Evin says he's always aspired to make music like the classic pop hits. "When I hear a song with a great melody, it really blows my mind," he says. "I'm blown away and inspired, partly to write my own melody like that, but also when you see a great piece of art that comes from some place higher and beautiful, that seems to be one of the things I love about music."

One of the big differences between Evin and the bulk of modern songwriters is his instrument of choice. He's one of the rare breed composing and performing at the piano. That gives him a leg-up on someone writing on guitar or with loops and beats, at least when it comes to crafting a pleasing tune. "It's not a coincidence that most of the classic Tin Pan Alley songs, the classic melody songs were written on piano," he agrees. "There's something about the old-fashioned melodies that can be written on piano, it's more extensive, you know?"

The other aural component most noticed in Evin's songs is the positive vibe. Almost everybody finds joy in the songs, and it's an uplifting experience listening to the album. Evin says he's just trying to cheer himself up. "You're writing partly for yourself, it's a form of therapy, it's a way to work out things in your life," he explains. "Like everyone, I go through many moments in life, day-to-day stuff where you get discouraged, just have a down day. It comes out in my songwriting where I'm trying to lift myself up, as well as other people. I'm trying to look at the positive side. I think people can look at my music just from one side, and say "Oh it's so fun, it's so upbeat, why don't you get more serious? Do something with a bit more depth?" But my friend (musician) Matt Epp, he said something really cool. He said to create something that has that joy in it, you're acknowledging all of the darker stuff. We know the dark stuff is there, but to get at the joy we're trying to lift ourselves a bit higher."

If you're in the mood for some lifting, Evin is about to tour the Maritimes. Friday, Sept. 25, he's in St. Andrews, NB at Salty Towers. There's a house concert in Moncton on Saturday night with his friend Andy Creeggan (ex-BNL), with details on Evin's website. Sunday, Sept. 27, he reaches Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia at Buchanan's Music Centre, and Wednesday, Sept. 30 he's at The Company House in Halifax. On Oct. 1, he's at the Windsor Castle Bar on the UNB campus in Fredericton, before heading back through Quebec for more dates. - Bob Mersereau's Top 100 (Canadian Blog)

The extensive journey from his hometown of Montreal to playing North American cities has clearly paid dividends for singer-songwriter-pianist Mike Evin. Showcasing a melodic brand of indie-piano-pop that has a homespun charm about it, the music bounced forth with upbeat energy, warm harmonies, boosted by Evin’s rich vocals and jaunty piano playing coupled with excellent drumming and an accompanying vocalist. Impeccable musicianship combined with a remarkable ability to create catchy hooks is what makes Mike Evin shine. Clearly a consummate songwriting spirit that seemed to connect with the audience. - Lonely Vagabond

Somewhere between Ben Folds and Schoolhouse Rocks lies Montreal’s Mike Evin. While it might sound like a throw away comparison to mention any pop piano tunesmith in the same breath as Mr. Folds, I don’t mean that Evin necessarily sounds like Ben (although at times he does). No, it's the way Evin and Folds share the same ability to maintain that delicate balance between accessibility, wit, child like whimsy and sincere honesty.

That honestly is exemplified by the spontaneous recording of Good Watermelon (out on Just Friends on April 14th). Mike and his friends – including Montreal’s Ideal Lovers, Angela Desveaux, Andy Creeggan and Emma Baxter – jammed into a studio and let er rip. His live to tape sound is laced with shouts, claps, ramshackle noises and most importantly, happiness. Mike’s performance isn’t controlled by studio magic and precisions. You can feel his heart and soul soul when he and his friends break into jams Piano Top or Should We Dance, but if you didn’t believe in what Mike was singing, a simple story about Good Watermelon would seem hokey and tender ballads like Goodnight Crickets, Me and My Love would seem contrived.

Instead, you let Evin’s spirit encompass the room and just enjoy his songs for what they are. Whether he’s singing about a childhood family trip or deconstructing a pop song, you just let go and listen. The songs somehow feel intimate, like a private conversation, but also make you want to sing-along and when it comes to being a charismatic piano man, in my opinion, that’s what it’s all about. - Herohill

With some notable Canuck talent assisting, Montreal’s Mike Evin delivers a short but effective dose of his engagingly unceremonious piano pop—think Nilsson, Newman or Folds, with sharp edges sanded down. Handclaps, posse vocals and such, particularly on the title track and “Rockin’ Receptionist,” give this short but sweet effort a definite back-porch party feel - Montreal Mirror

When you're a piano playing singer-songwriter, you have to get used to being compared to Elton John, Billy Joel, Randy Newman, and Ben Folds. Mike Evin has heard them all, but in his case such easy categorization is completely justified. The Montreal native is that rare breed of pop tunesmith whose adeptness at the keyboard seems to automatically lend his work an added air of complexity and sophistication.

However, for Evin's latest release, Good Watermelon, his goal was to achieve as much simplicity as possible by recording it all live in the studio, and thus creating an intimacy with the listener that he didn't feel was present on any of his previous three releases. "I wanted it to be a very intense experience," Evin says.

"When we were ready to record, I told all the musicians to have an attitude like we were going into battle for a specific amount of time, and we definitely got that vibe. I'm certainly proud of the last couple of records I've made, but nowadays, the process can drag on for a while and it's really easy to lose that initial spark when you start getting bogged down with the technology. I was also in a pretty good groove from playing live and building a good rapport with audiences, and I wanted to transfer that onto the album."

That approach seems to have paid off so far, as Good Watermelon's combination of wit and wide-eyed innocence is beginning to establish Evin as a voice to be reckoned with within the Canadian scene. Having recently returned to his hometown after stints in New York, Toronto and Halifax, Evin was fully prepared to make a fresh start, and he admits that he hopes his current overall musical vision does provide some form of alternative to what's dominating the charts right now.

"I used to write songs in a more ironic vein, like Randy Newman, but lately I feel like I've gone in a more earnest direction, probably as a result of listening to a lot of Jonathan Richman," Evin says. "There's not a lot of earnest, positive music out there, I find, and I think there could be a shift toward that coming. I don't want to think of my music as an antidote to other kinds of music, because there's room for everything. But I think the way I write, and the fact that I play piano, helps me to offer something different than what a lot of other singer-songwriters are doing."

That optimism is ingrained not only within the songs on Good Watermelon, but everywhere else on the album, including a cover photo showing Evin literally offering the listening public to taste the fruit. "It's really just a loose statement to remind people to slow down and enjoy the simpler things in life," Evin says.

"I think that's a theme that runs through a bunch of the songs on the record, not just the title track. The photo of me offering the watermelon is just supposed to say, let's take this opportunity to share this thing and have a good time."

Live Mike Evin (opening for Sarah Slean) Friday, April 17, 8 p.m. The Gig Theatre, Kitchener $20 ($15 with Go Festival wristband) www.gomusicfestival.ca - The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo)

All right, it might seem lazy to say, seeing as he's a pop singer that plays piano, but Mike Evin sounds a hell of a lot like Ben Folds. The voice, the clever lyrics and yes, the piano — you'd swear this was some aborted record from back when he was with the Five. And it's not bad either. But what sets Good Watermelon apart is the way it was recorded. Evin gathered friends, including former Barenaked Lady Andy Creegan, and members of the Ideal Lovers collective in a Montreal studio, and recorded the whole damn thing live-off-the-floor. You can hear Evin calling out to his band and listen to the sounds bounce off the studio walls. It's a major statement in a world where modern mixing and mastering techniques have sapped all the energy and spontaneity in music. - Exclaim!

I have a sneaking suspicion that my enjoyment of Good Watermelon, the new album from Mike Evin, stems -- at least in part -- from the fact that I put it on immediately after watching Happy-Go-Lucky. I mean, just as it's hard to come away from that movie feeling anything less than upbeat and positive, it's hard to imagine anyone leaving Good Watermelon without feeling as though they've had a weight lifted from their shoulders. It's a light, breezy pop album, which means that I'm probably more receptive to its good vibes now than I'll ever be.

Then again, it's a fun enough album that this may have been the case regardless of when I'd put it on. After all, with song titles like "Great Pop Song", ""We Should Dance", "Me And My Love" and "Rockin' Receptionist", it should be fairly obvious that Evin's not driven to make an album that reflects on the deep darkness within his soul. Good Watermelon is a joyfully carefree album, and this is the case regardless of whether he's rocking out on a track like "Piano Top" or getting sweet and sentimental on ballads, as he does on "Sweet Family Outing". While I'm sure Good Watermelon could probably rub some listeners the wrong way (those who hate sunshine and kittens, for example, are sure to find reasons to dislike the album, while people who don't like Ben Folds-ish piano-pop are probably going to find it less-than-enjoyable), but on the whole, Mike Evin has made an album that should be just the thing for anyone looking for a soundtrack to the lazy days of summer that are just around the corner. - iheartmusic.net

Proving that some musicians still try to have a little bit of fun with album titles, Mike Evin's just about ready to launch his new album, Good Watermelon. The release hits shelves on April 14, and is exactly what this country needs after a long, dark, cold winter. It is an album that joyfully springs into Spring. Or, at least that's the idea.

Evin, who is kind of shared by Halifax, Toronto, Montreal, and New York (he's lived in all these places but is actually from Montreal) returned to Montreal in April 2008 to record Good Watermelon, and, for it, arranged for an all-star team to be his backing band. Who's in this prestigious little group? The likes of: Barenaked Ladies' Andy Creeggan, Orillia Opry's Emma Baxter, Angela Desveaux, and the boys (Zac Decamp, David Payant, Mike O'Brien and Joe Grass) of Ideal Lovers.

Not bad, huh.

Recorded and mixed live onto two-track analog tape, Evin's record is one that explores, further, the idea that pop music can still be happy and original. Furthermore, the live off the floor style is a perfect fit for Evin, whose general way during live shows is the kind of charm you can't effectively encapsulate in a studio.

Evin's previous releases, The January Muse (2001), I'll Bring the Stereo (2005); and the EP Let's Slow It Down (2007) announced this interesting pop songwriter to the country, and even translated to some exposure in the States. Without doubt, Good Watermelon is going to add to this already impressive reputation.

The first bit of touring Evin will be doing for Good Watermelon can be found here, at his MySpace. Further tour dates will be announced soon, as the plan is to go across Canada and also into the Northeastern USA. - MyTelus.com

Let's not bullshit around: What we've got here is straight-up, earnest piano pop. You can either hate it or love it. I fall on the latter side of the equation and thus I ate up Evin's perpetually sunny, occasionally rollicking fourth release with a spoon. If you've had the good fortune to see Evin live – whether at festivals, in his brief stopovers in Toronto and Halifax or in his hometown of Montreal – you'll notice that Good Watermelon captures the warm, cozily ramshackle group vibe of his live shows perfectly. Standouts include the soulful, beautifully harmonized floor-shaker "We Should Dance", the Harry Nilsson-esque title track, with its gentle "doo-doos" and background bongos, and the album's lovely, ruminative closer, "Goodnight Crickets". Other reviewers have got it: Evin's musical savvy and good-times attitude do indeed make him the best national treasure you've never heard. - Soundproof

I hate to judge a book by its cover, but Mike Evin seems like a really nice guy who really does want to offer you a slice of watermelon, as he does with an outstretched hand on the cover of his album, titled Good Watermelon. On the back of the album he's pictured playing piano in someone's backyard, decked out in a wide sun hat and flashing that grin again, while his friends chow down on -- you guessed it -- some good watermelon. Inside are nine songs that sound like they were written by a talented summer camp counsellor with a knack for classic pop hooks, writing sunny slice-of-life songs like Rockin' Receptionist, Sweet Family Outings, Goodnight Crickets, and -- yes, of course -- Good Watermelon. Despite the hokeyness, it's hard to dislike Evin, and not just because he seems like a really, really nice guy. He writes piano pop that owes large debts to Randy Newman, Joe Jackson and Ben Folds; he's both a great singer and a fine keyboardist; and he's a fan of warm-sounding, live analog recordings. Like any good watermelon, it tastes sweet, isn't the least bit filling, and could probably benefit from a vodka injection -- though that doesn't usually happen at summer camp. Mike Evin plays in Waterloo Friday, April 17, as part of the GO! Music Festival at the Gig Music Hall, on a bill with Sarah Slean. - The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo)

Montreal's Mike Evin, whose wry, sanguine songwriting touch brings to mind everyone from Van Dyke Parks and Randy Newman through to Warren Zevon, Jonathan Richman and Ben Folds, makes good on the considerable promise of 2005's I'll Bring the Stereo with his third full-length effort, Good Watermelon: a soft-hearted, exultant paean to the pure, wide-eyed wonder of youth - the carefree kind one longs to bottle and keep forever. By turns buoyant, saccharine sweet and wistful, Good Watermelon exudes a communal, impromptu feel throughout: Handclaps snap, makeshift gospel choirs chirp, sing-alongs break out and choruses swell like feel-good '70s AM "round the dial radio" revisited, the sound of pure celebration rather than leaden, faux meditation, with nary a hit of affectation. Pop for purely pop's sake. - Ottawa XPress

Pop music. What makes good pop music? Why do some people love to hate pop music? Mike Evin knows what makes a great pop song and tells you all about it in the aptly titled Great Pop Song, the lead off track from his fourth album, Good Watermelon.

it was the first time i heard it
but i listened to it twice
it's exciting when you first hear a song
that can stay with you for life
you gotta cherish those first few hears
but for me, it gets better through the years!

i heard a great pop song today
it made me wanna sit down and play
there was something in the message
and there was something in the singing
oh, that great pop song today
it had feeling

Yea, that feeling that grabs you. That simply catchy, yet instantly connectible message that hooks you like the first time you heard _________ (fill in the blank with your own song). It's unavoidable. Impossible to resist (unless you're an indie snobster). It's ridiculously simple, and yet allows you to put your thoughts and dreams in to it.

That's what this album is all about. Almost always silly and yet you can take it deeper if you're in the mood. Think the piano of Ben Folds meets the tom-foolery of They Might Be Giants. That's it. I'm going to keep it simple, just like a great pop song...
- Mainstream Isn't So Bad ... Is it?

Trudeau went on his long walk in snowy Montreal to decide on his political future. He returned resolved to leave public office.

Bob Gainey, the Habs' general manager, invited a floundering Alex Kovalev on a summer stroll in the city following the star's bum season in 2006-07. The Russian forward returned to form, for awhile at least.

Montreal, the grande dame of cities in North America, is that kind of place, where walks can take on mythological status.

Pop pianist-vocalist Mike Evin is following that contemplative path. On his outings, he's reacquainting with his hometown of Montreal, where he moved back from Halifax this past winter. At the same time, walking is helping him rediscover his joy of making music.

That feeling waned, he says, following completion of Good Watermelon, his third album. It's hard to imagine Evin losing his sight of and sense for music's positive power, given the 30-year-old's striding piano, his gift for upbeat mood and melody, his energetic and smiley vocals, sharp wit and his optimistic, playful observations on Good Watermelon.

But it happened. He's not "all positive all the time, just very light.

"I got into this huge rut, just trying to figure out what to do with it," Evin admits, going on to say that even before he started recording the album more than a year ago in Montreal, he "built it up" in his mind as "the record. And I got discouraged pretty quickly."

In part that came from shopping the album around to a variety of labels and hearing only passing interest. The discouragement eventually turned into a deeper, entrenched low. "There was some depression in there," Evin says.

The roots of the problem were present in the way he's lived his life and worked at his craft, according to the artist. "I haven't been able to live in the moment fully," Evin explains. "I've been focused on where else I should be or what else I should be doing." He's changed his thinking in part by returning to Montreal and "going for walks, getting into random places. Last night I just went for a long walk along [Rue] Jean Talon, from my house" in Côte des Neiges, which he describes as "somewhat removed but very multicultural." (Evin grew up in Hampstead, "a Jewish suburb. It's very sheltered.")

On that walk, Evin crossed intersections of cultures. "It makes you excited about the world," he observes. Though he hasn't travelled much or that far, he knows he will. He doesn't worry about when or where for now.

Walking has taught Evin patience, openness, calm. These journeys, "just these random walks," he calls them, unfold without a plan or destination in mind. "We shouldn't think about that kind of stuff so much. It's easy to think about that stuff and obsess about it. And you just miss out on where you're at, at the present moment," he says.

Evin reached a point of exhaustion trying to orchestrate his music career, his success. He turned to other sources, besides the walks, such as reading Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way. Through that, Evin is "learning to enjoy the process and not being so focused on the product."

With that in mind, he's posting videos of himself playing new songs on YouTube (calling them Mike Evin's Workshops). He's performing them in single takes, avoiding the intense evaluation and editing that, in the past, had led to some protracted periods of writer's block.

He cancelled most of this summer's tour plans, letting his fans know via his blog. Fans responded, he says, with support and stories of losing and finding their way. Though the decision didn't come without due consideration, he's happy he did it and to be returning to Halifax, where, for the first time he says, he experienced "being part of something." - The Coast (Halifax, NS) - by Sean Flinn