In 2025, there are endless ways to discover new music. Whether it's your preferred streaming service, social media algorithms, or soundtracks from anything from TV episodes to advertising but the real gold is still mined from the most valuable of currencies. Word of mouth
Case in point is the Canadian three-piece, Ever Age. A friend of mine who knows a good thing when he hears it left me an excited voice message and a link to this band’s Bandcamp page. Consisting of two brothers and Adrian Snyde (guitar and vocals), and Neil Snyder (drums), who moved to Vancouver from Toronto. Once settled in they decided to look for someone to jam with. Enter stage left, Elijah Saltzberg (bass), and after bonding over a love of Stoner rock, Ever Age was born.
The recording of their debut album sounds like the stuff of dreams. They retreated to a remote cabin in the mountains of Hemlock Valley. It is postcard pretty (I looked it up to see where the hell it was). If being snowed in under 3 ft of snow is your idea of peaceful, then this is a perfect atmosphere for recording an album, which they have done.
The sound of crackling wood on the fire can be heard in the background of the opening instrumental Coldera (which makes a change from church bells and rain!!!) They describe themselves as psychedelic stoner rock, although this sounds more like retro rock from Crypt Trip, than the bass-heavy desert rock of Sleep or Kyuss.
Second track “Psychlone” has a strong flavour of Skynyrd in both melody and especially in the guitar solo. This is not a criticism but an observation. This is a high level of songwriting for a band’s debut. One of the highlights of the album "Black Suede" sounds contemporary and retro at the same time, demonstrating a skill of allowing your influences to shine through without simply apeing them.
“Radiant” is a lovely country-tinged acoustic number with a reverb-drenched vocal that approaches the psychedelic mountain blues they aspire to and wouldn’t be out of place in a post-apocalyptic film soundtrack. It pulls up images of the snow-covered landscape and endless roads yet to be traveled. “RAMP” is the heaviest the album gets and the closest to outright stoner rock. They finish the album with the longest track “Anytime.” For me, this is the best track on the album. They have the space to stretch out and move across different textures. It’s a track built for the encore section of a live show. The band cut loose and brought the song and album home in fine style.
This album has a good share of light and shade, and most of all it shows great potential. If I may compare them to Vintage Caravan, not musically but in the way a young band makes an album that is a snapshot of where they are at musically in the moment but also allows the sharp listener to hear beyond the tracks presented on the debut and become excited for what's next for this band. They are building a reputation slowly, by word of mouth with fans and fellow musicians alike. Having landed a support slot with psych/stoner legends Earthless.
I, for one, am looking forward to following their progress and hearing how good albums two, three, and four are.
-Bobo Coen
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