Roar, the solo project of Magic the Gathering enthusiast, amateur (but impressive) chef, and mastermind Owen Evans, channels that feeling of nostalgia we all experience but can never fully place. “Am I trapped inside a movie?” “Did I hear this song years ago in a dream?” listeners of Roar may ask. No, be still your delusions. It’s just Mr. Evans, who has a knack for writing emotive melodies and skillful arrangements evocative of the times of yore.
In 2006, the year The Devil Wears Prada was released, Mr. Evans began working on some of the glorious, heart-wrenching songs that would ultimately form his epic 6-song debut EP: I Can’t Handle Change (2010). He has since released a second EP, I’m Not Here to Make Friends (2012), and three full-length records: Impossible Animals (2016), Pathetique Aesthetique (2018), and Diamond Destroyer of Death (2021). What will this harmonic wizard bring us next? We must wait patiently as Mr. Evans carefully examines his many extraordinary ideas, stitching them together like an immaculate gown sure to win the approval of Miranda Priestly herself.
When he is brave enough to play his songs for the public, this bashful songwriter is accompanied by his trusty band of skilled and loyal friends. Inspired by 60s girl groups and early applications of the synthesizer, Roar songs sound like a place where old Hollywood celebrities, grief-stricken robots, and the occasional cheerful elf come together to tell stories about love, pain, and hope. Mr. Evans croons over chromatic basslines, impassioned string arrangements, and wistful synth arpeggios, bringing the listener on a dynamic, surreal journey punctuated by sentimental motifs and playful surprises. In search of an immersive sonic world that speaks to your big feels? Look no further - this humble musician has crafted the soundscape to your deepest emotional moments.
