Reviews

Evolve IV take their influences from classic prog bands such as Genesis, Pink Floyd and Yes, and add a modern twist a la The Killers and Coldplay. No twenty minute epics here, on this debut CD we are treated to fairly simple straightforward melodic tunes with a progressive edge, sometimes quirky and arty but well-crafted and played with style, without being flashy. Vocalist Michael Eager has a voice not too far from Dave Gilmour’s, while lead guitarist Peter Matuchniak has a unique style with his solos staying tuneful while adding some subtle textures and sounds. There are many different styles to keep it interesting: ‘War’ has a Mostly Autumn vibe, not just with the appearance of a gentle flute undercurrent; ‘Rolling Along’ is an up-tempo funky number with some ‘Great Gig In The Sky’ style female vocals courtesy of guest Tali Azerad; ‘Saturday’s Gone’ with it’s processed vocal would have sat perfectly on The Killers debut album, while ‘Goodbye’ features a saxophone prominently, and sounds like something 10CC could have recorded in their later years. Well produced and very enjoyable.
www.rocktopia.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=910%3Acd-reviews&id=690%3Aevolve-iv-decadent-light&Itemid=121

...Rather than draw comparisons to other bands who ran through Strawberry Fields or strolled down Abbey Road, they're generally representative of the seventies era. Only in this case, their production qualities are up-to-date. John Vestman ensured that this will not require a digital remaster. Likewise, there are ambient elements in their tone that demonstrate currency with the modern day. In the end, this album will appeal to nostalgic youngsters or middle-aged fogies who forgot to dust their vinyl.
www.progressiveworld.net/html/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=3912

French review
www.leseternels.net/chronique.aspx?id=2701

...Evolve IV has grown together with the express purpose of music that is nurtured by the past influences of progressive Rock/Pop bands with a twist of early Beatles. There are some songs that sound like a page from Grateful Dead (“Baby Come Back,” “Judgement Day”). There are even Wishbone Ash-like tunes in the funky “Number 16,” and the ‘best of show’ “Rolling Along.” Yes influences easily squeeze out in all corners of the album, primarily from the guitar sections. Hints of other elements (Jazz and an art-rock classical) also spring out in a few songs (“Listen Up,” itself a spectacular Rock tune, and the use of flute in “Write,” a song that sounds Asia-like. Don’t make the mistake of brushing Evolve IV off as they have a chemistry that makes the eleven songs of this album a lot of fun to listen to. Rock can use more bands like Evolve IV and albums like Decadent light, a grand album in the classic sense. Decadent Light makes me feel like I’m twenty again...
www.musictap.net/Reviews/2008/November/EvolveIVDecadentLight.html

Evolve IV's debut album is a result of what started as exchanging of ideas via internet between Michael Eager from USA and peter Matuchniak from UK. Soon after other musicians joined to create Decadent Light, which is an album mostly inspired by the old prog legends such as Genesis and Yes, combined with new school pop rockers like Coldplay and Radiohed and let's not forget Pink Floyd and The Beatles. So if you take all this and combine it you will get a quite good picture of what this album is all about. There is no doubt that we have a very good musicians on this album, but their focus is not on playing as technically challenging as possible in order to prove their skills. Also the production is very warm and professionally done and number of different instruments and guest performances is accompanied well together. Especially guest vocals by Tali Azered and Stephen Bell's sax solos stand out...
metal-revolution.com/plugins/content/content.php?content.1865

Sometimes I must be surprised, what " in such a way everything under the cover; Progressive" one publishes. Because which fits momentarily from the boxes erschallt into several drawers, like e.g. alternative, skirt, Psychedelic and/or also Country. Progressive sounds hear I here however rather few. It concerns EVOLVE IV, which was formed by an Internet acquaintance of the Englishman Peter Matuchniak (MACH ONE, JANYSIUM) with the American Michael Eager (VITAMIN RADIO, MIND EXPANSION, HED). By the Schlagzeuger Paul Sheriff and the bassists Jim Debaun was completed those volume and EVOLVE IV was born. By the way, the English word " evolve" meant in German " entstehen" or " entwickeln". Actually a suitable name, which the volume selected itself, because they are by the I-Net ' entstanden' , and endeavors its own style too " entwickeln". Mostly the guitars in music determine the happening and the only recognizable progressively angehauchte number in the American style are NUMBER 16 and remind me in parts of IZZ. With the tone quality of the voice of the Mr. Eager comes me andeutungsweise Xavier Phideaux into the sense, h owever the singing sounds more nölender, in order to express it with peace man words [note peace man Schmidt is our hero from the proximity of the Ruhr district; Talk]. One gets a very beautiful work of the guitarist with was served. Here elements were used, as one hears them e.g. of Led Zeppelin quite often. Song move all in the middle speed, so also lists UP, with which wind instruments, flute and saxophone set mad accents. In the course of my search I visited also the MySpace side of the troop, and there all kinds of influence giving volume are called, like GENESIS, GRATEFUL DEAD, Paul Simon, The BEATLES, COLDPLAY and Pink Floyd. Yes, one hears mentioned the last also clearly in Rolling Along and Saturday' s of Gone, in these two TRACKs sets the guest singer beautiful stresses, who " at FLOYDs; The Dark Side OF The Moon" remind. Baby Come bake is for me pure Country music and Voyager a beautiful instrumentale number. The secondarylast piece of Write could have come also from PHIDEAUX, so strongly is the similarities, these on its albums a something similar style-mixes in particular there here offers. I already wrote that " evolve" translated " entstehen" or also " entwickeln" is called. The latter applies likewise to the volume, because they tried to develop from the influences other volume their own sound which is however only partly successful. Thus we are " by EVOLVE IV on; Decadent Light" with music sprinkles, which strikes one not from the stool and in progressive sounds rather the sub ordinated role plays, which is to be listened to however otherwise completely nicely.
www.home-of-rock.de/CD-Reviews2/Evolve_IV/Decadent_Light.html

Interview in German
www.mstos.de/index.php?sec=interviews&op=show&id=222

Evolve IV is a band founded by American singer and guitarist Mike Eager and the British gutiarist Peter Matuchniak. After they teamed up they searched for a rhythm section at the internet. Anyway, now the foursome is presenting their debut Decadent Light. They open up with Number 16, a rock track with some 70's prog sounds and a slight pop appeal. With acoustic passages and speed changes they keep the song alive. And somehow the tune has a singer / songwriter atmosphere... Perhaps it's the guitars, perhaps it's Eager's voice... The following track is called War and indicates that Evolve IV is based in the singer / songwriter genre, even if they add some other elements and partly a progressive edge. At Listen Up they add a saxophone to their mix - and in combination with the guitar it almost gets jazzy... The song somehow reminds me of Moody Blues... even if I can't really fathom what triggers of this impression. Anyway, I really enjoyed this tune! At Rolling Along they use female vocals to the blend and they lead over into Saturday's Gone. Here Michael Eager takes over the mic again - this song make me think of Steve Miller Band.... A bit faster and with a positive vibe they present Baby Come Back. While Voyage takes you on an instrumental trip. The last track is called Goodbye and is dominated by a saxophone or by Eager's voice. This one is one of my favorites, I just wished the lyrics would be a bit less repetitive.... But this isn't a real problem, it would only made the song better. ;) If you look for heavy riffs, then this isn't the best choice. But if you can imagine a singer / songwriter like Bob Dylan or Cat Stevens a bit more rocking and with some progressive elements, then you should check out Evolve IV. Their sound is very relaxed without being shallow.
www.ice-vajal.com/e/CD/evolve4.htm

...Decadent Light touches upon all of the above influences whilst creating some highly satisfying freshness along the way. Inventive, imaginative, and intriguing, Evolve IV have done what the band name says and developed a style brimming with chemistry. The melodic opener “Number 16” is instantly engaging; constantly shifting, it succeeds in locking you in. “War” sits nicely behind this impressive opener. It has a familiar acoustic opening blending smooth vocals, and an Argus era Wishbone Ash guitar styling. “Listen Up” sees the band go a little deeper into their influences, oddly Van Der Graaf sax amid shades of some elements of classic jazz prog, it blends together to form a fascinating track. There is a vague nod to the Grateful Dead, American Beauty era, on “Judgement Day”. “Rolling Along” is a mesh of it all, Floyd, Wishbone Ash, amid Evolve IV’s own character lead to another engaging listen...
blogcritics.org/archives/2009/02/03/192925.php

...Evolve IV separates themselves from many other acts active in the progressive rock scene these days, and not because of the way they were formed. Their stated influences, although containing familiar names like Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd, also include an act like Grateful Dead. And while the first three stated influences may be a tad hard to track on this creation, this latter one should be more easily found I'd imagine. Even so, there are other bands I would compare this outfit with, mainly due to me not being overly familiar with this stated influence myself. What is certain is that we're dealing with the lighter side of progressive music here. Light in expression more than complexity though, and with a band exploring minute, quirky details rather than grandiose, structurally challenging compositions. Guitars are the dominant and driving instruments from start to finish of this creation. And in this particular case we're dealing with clean, undistorted guitars and wandering guitar lines, mellow guitar licks and acoustic guitars make up most of the content of the compositions. The songwriters opt for the use of multilayered guitars through and through, varying between having two equally dominant guitar themes exploring to create melodic yet complex landscapes with lots of details in some songs while utilizing one dominant guitar layer in other tracks, with one or two additional layers given supporting roles to add nuances, minor details or fragmented, dramatic bursts...
www.progressor.net/review/evolve_4_2008.html

Peter Matuchniak (lead guitar and keyboards), Michael Eager (rhythm guitar and vocals), Paul Sheriff (drums) and Jim DeBaun (bass) began by exchanging emails after answering online ads designed to bring together like-minded musicians who had the desire to make contemporary music with a classic feel. Matuchniak may be a familiar name to devotees of the early 1980s prog scene as he was a member of Janysium and Mach One, whose CD re-issue we reviewed some five years ago. Eager had previously been a member of a variety of bands such as Vitamin Funk, Mind Expansion and HED. Peter had kindly sent me a copy of the album before the recent news that the group had signed with ProgRock Records, so I have had a while to get into the album before penning this review! Despite that I found the album quite difficult to categorise or come up with any similarities. Oh sure, there are influences a plenty amongst the tracks but the quartet have managed to come out not sounding quite like anyone else. Very much guitar led, there are impressive lead breaks which transition from the raucous to the almost ambient, often within the space of the same song (for example in War). But on the other hand, there are Beatlesque melodies highlighted with flute and sax (courtesy of guest musician David Gilman), songs that contain elements of Radiohead (of any era) and enough variety throughout the fifty minutes of playing time to keep even the ears of the most inattentive listener twitching...
www.dprp.net/reviews/200844.php#evolve

...Well, it’s a nice blend of styles, characteristic of bands that come from USA in the XXIst Century, they present us an interesting fusion of various elements that go from simple mainstream to Heavy Prog, passing by some sort of Symphonic with Jazzy leanings, ambient, a bit of Country Music hints, and even good classic Rock & Roll with Power ballads. If Progressive Rock consists in blending of different genres, well these guys do this with great style, so they deserve by own right to be in Prog Archives...
www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=183155

Italian review
www.hardsounds.it/PUBLIC/recensione.php?id=4343

Interview with Peter
www.jerrylucky.com/interviews.htm

...So after getting the heads up about the music Evolve were making it was with some excitement that I had the opportunity to listen to the musical efforts on their new Decadent Lights CD. Evolve make no pretense about being a classic seventies or even eighties flavoured ‘progressive rock’ band in terms of sound or writing style and yet contained on the disc are eleven tracks that carry forward the essence of a classic progressive rock sound that is clearly placed in a modern setting. The first two tracks “Number 16” (4:20) and “War” (4:52) find the band at their most progressive with tunes that ebb and flow between fast and slow, intense and atmospheric, vocals and instrumental soloing. In fact there is a wide mix of rock styles and influences here, but there’s also a little country-rock on “Baby Come Back” (2:59), some spacey/psychedelics on “Saturday’s Gone” (4:28) and more. The compositions are upbeat, song-oriented but with a real art-rock-quirkiness allowing for many interesting musical moments to shine throughout the disc. The tunes go from moody to toe-tapping with many subtle shifts in time and tempo best exemplified in the CD’s longest track “Goodbye” (8:03). In fact it's easy to lose track of time as the music on this disc ‘evolves’ before your very ears. I'm sure the music here will appeal to wide cross section of music lovers.
www.jerrylucky.com/reviews%20a-e_020.htm