The new EP by the mercurial Nick Everett opens with a five second burst, a clamourous choir of voices and instruments, followed swiftly by softly plucked guitar strings. It’s as if Everett is saying, “Here is where we left off, here is where we’re going”.
Regardless of permutation, Nick Everett has always managed to command attention as a performer. He is a learned and quirky player, an ambitious composer and an earnest voice. In the past, these attributes have led to mixed results. His recorded history up to this point has been divisive: some camps applaud his accomplished, heart-worn compositions while others deride his lofty, navel-gazing esotericism.
With Elsethings, the intrepid songwriter has given his dedicated fans a glowing I-Told-You-So to wave in the faces of their doubtful counterparts. As the soft plucking of the lead-off ‘I Try’ suggests, Everett & Everybody have honed their talents and crystallized their potentials. The EP’s six tracks flow gently together, reaching majestic apex and subtle quietude with equal dexterity. The typically ambitious compositions are realized through a balanced mix of found sounds, daring musicianship and humble self-awareness.
The beacon of all this refreshing surety is Everett’s voice, a tempered falsetto that is proving to be more and more effective with each step. Furthermore, on Elsethings, Everett seems to be moving on lyrically from his earlier tendencies for obtuse, ornate romanticism to a more tangible, affecting simplicity (most notably on the centrepiece ‘Hold On’ as he elicits: “Sometimes it’s easier/to wake up, drink my coffee/ and head right back to bed”).
Nothing on Elsethings feels poured-over, but it is immaculately constructed. Nothing feels ham-fisted, but it is brimming with big ideas. It is the sound of a young artist taping into old wisdom; Nick Everett & Everybody are listening very carefully to themselves, and because of that, we’re all hearing it more clearly.
