Evan Michaels - "Ain't No Stopping This" - EP Review

Not that there is anything wrong with "Ain't No Stopping This," it's a genuine six-song EP in the Texas/Red Dirt genre. But the EP, produced by Stillwater, OK singer/songwriter Evan Michaels and his keyboard player (Andrew) Bair, somehow isn't inciting enough to light a fire. Their current radio single "Bet On A Backroad," sounds too much like a Nashville Bro-Country song with all its cliches forefront and is currently bubbling right outside the Top 100 of the Texas Regional Radio Report and can't be found in the CDX Traction Texas Chart. This is songwriting lite, I normally don't expect from great Red Dirt music.

I bet it's on a backroad
In the middle of nowhere
We take the shortcuts
to get us there

I love the idea behind "Too Big For The Both Of Us" which stipulates that a relationship may only survive in a small town as it is predestined to fail in the big city. But the contemporary, almost Nashville-like arrangement kills the song. A nice change of rhythm, with a jingle-jangly feel, gives us the mid-tempo reflection of an ex-girlfriend; but "Like It Should" seems like it was copied out of Reckless Kelly's songbook.

The only outstanding track is the opener and title song "Ain't No Stopping This" with a great Chris-LeDoux feel to it. Even though knowing that an encounter is doomed from the beginning, there is nothing that can stop it from happening: Temptation is bigger than reason.

As to "Must Have Been Drinking" and "Tomorrow Today," there are some good approaches, but in the end, both songs fail to grab me. Most likely, even after multiple listens, because nothing new is offered. The arrangements sound like run-of-the-mill country-rock fare a 70s cover band would cover.

With just one song really grasping my attention it will be difficult for Evan Michaels to really stand out from an ever-increasing crowd of Red Dirt singer/songwriters and bands. There are some great ideas on this EP, but better songwriting and having his own sound are recommended. This six sampler still sounds as he would be trying to find his own self, lyrical-wise as well as musically - I miss an edge that sets Evan Michaels apart from the mediocrity that now seems to sweep through the Texas/Red Dirt scene.

As to Evan's voice, it's pleasant and strong enough to sing hits. Unfortunately, there are some blocks on the road, and his way to the top may take a little longer than he stipulated with "Ain't No Stopping This."

★★(★)/★★★★★ (2 ½ out of 5)


Sources: RPR Media, evanmichaaelsmusic.com

Damn Quails Don't Fly Anymore

Gabe Marshall and Bryon White from the Damn Quails start looking into different directions.

In a surprise move, their performing calendar is stacked throughout the whole summer, including a headlining slot at the Woody (Guthrie) folk festival on July 14th, the Oklahoma Red Dirt singer/songwriting duo plus their current band members - Harmonica player Adam Rittenberry, Drummer Walton McMurry and original bassist Dillon Sampson - stalled in flight and call it quits. Gabriel and Byron announced their decision on the Quails facebook page on Sunday morning (6/18/16) out of the blue and stunned critics and their "Convey" of fans alike.

Nested out of a jam session, where different musicians would sit in and join Gabe and Bryon, the duo took to flight with their 2011 release "Down the Hatch" (produced by Mike McClure and Joe Hardy) and found an immediate connection to fans and critics. Three singles of their debut album, "Fool's Gold," "So So Long" and "Me and the Whiskey" got radio airplay and TV time on Asleep At The Wheel frontman Ray Benson's "The Texas Music Scene." (See two video's of the TV music series featuring the "birds" below.)

But as soon as the band took flight, there were legal issues with their management company and record label. Unsolvable lawsuits were filed and the band had to fight to even keep the rights of their own name, music, likeness. Basically everything associated with The Damn Quails was in question. Not giving up and taking off every night with engaging live shows, this was the only way the band was able to survive for the next two years, till the lawsuit was finally settled and the band was given the ownership of the name.

Broke and without a record label, the band turned to their flock or "Convey" as they called it and started a Kickstarter Campaign January a year ago. They raised according to their website, where a lot of information is coming from, almost $55'000 dollars to record a new record and take to flight again.
Reckless Kelly guitarist David Abeyta was enlisted to be the producer of what became "Out Of The Birdcage" which was recorded at 12th Street Sound in Austin, Texas and released in September of last year on their own "Swamp Fyst Records" label.

Fool's Gold - Texas Music Scene


A request to the Quail's publicist about the breakup was not immediately returned. All of Gabe Marshall's social media accounts are closed down. Hundreds of fans have by now commented on the split up, most of them surprised and dumbfounded. Well, I guess all we can say is - "So, So Long" and all the best to Gabe and Byron and their current band members for whatever endeavors they will tackle next. For more of their music, look below the video to "So, so long" and visit the band's soundcloud account.