John Evans Band
Ramblin’ Boy
Crystal Clear Distribution

Just about the worst thing musicians can do is become complacent, rely on the grace of long-time fans, and never progress or push the boundaries of their craft. Thankfully, John Evans continually continues to explore his talents, and his latest album finds the musician turning inward, branching out from his countrified roots, and further testing the waters of rock and pop.

Just as Evans transformed himself on 2005’s Circling The Drain — not exactly turning his back on his rockabilly roots but not riding their coattails either — his new album is a departure from his earlier work. The rock’n’roll base is still there, with hints of early punk, but Evans’ music takes on an even heavier rock edge on “Understanding Jane” and “Long Way Home,” both of which will undoubtedly ensure Evans another slew of Houston Press Music Awards nominations (past nods include Best Musician, Best Songwriter, and multiple nods for Best Male Vocalist and Local Musician of the Year). His fierce guitar solos prove that Evans deserves the praise, and both songs rank among his best work.

Other songs, like the love-gone-wrong ballad “Everything’s OK” (“I’m standing at the edge of losing you,” he sings) could propel the singer into the mainstream. Again, his impressive guitars turn what could be an excellent ballad into a stellar performance. But Evans doesn’t completely ignore his past — fuzzed-out and often wailing guitars mesh with acoustic tinges on “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” a song more in line with Evans’ honky tonk days, yet its distorted vocals and sing-song background vocals gives it a unique, modern edge.

Ramblin’ Boy falters a bit on the predictable and familiar “Whiskey Tango,” which at its core is a wannabe 80’s cover (and should probably be left as such). Similarly, “Love Conquers All”‘s ska-meets-rockabilly sounds out of place among the album’s more straight-ahead rock feel. Thankfully, these weaknesses are easily glossed over — at heart, Evans has always been a storyteller and “Girl” and “5 Seconds At A Time” easily redeem Ramblin’ Boy‘s minor shortcomings. On the latter, Evans sings: “Pretty girl behind the bar, smiles all night to hide the scars…they’re everywhere, they stretch for miles, but no one sees them for her smiles / She daydreams five seconds at a time / Just hopin’ she can find a new boy to snap her out of this / To rescue her with just one kiss, to take her to a better place and put a real smile on her face / Somewhere beneath the neon sign she daydreams five seconds at a time.” It’s this simple — yet inventive — songwriting, coupled with Evans’ fierce guitarwork, that makes Ramblin’ Boy stand out among other Houston musicians.

If Evans continues to reinvent himself and his music with each new release, who knows what his imagination will bring us. For now, listeners can feel content to just go along for the ride.

The John Evans Band CD release party for Ramblin’ Boy is this Friday night (3.3.06) at The Meridian with Hell City Kings and The Mighty Orq. Doors 9 p.m. Cover $10.

Visit the John Evans Band website here.