Nathan Evans Fox - Heirloom (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Lots of Beginnings
02. Little Bit of Shine
03. Racecar
04. Sevindust
05. Landlords Bill Lee Etc
06. Heirloom
07. Negative Space
08. Meanness
09. Hillbilly Hymn (Okra & Cigarettes)
10. Thinking About Quitting No. 5
11. Jesus and the Buck
12. I Know the End

Evans spends his liner notes talking about some of his musical experiences but doesn't list any other musicians; he shows various pictures of him with a guitar, keyboard, and sax, so it's safe to assume he's a one-man smooth jazz band. This is the kind of material that's certainly likeable, very in the pocket, but really doesn't add much to a genre crowded with sax-driven tunes. The opening track, In Your Name, sums up the basic approach -- a few moments of unique improvisational invention following a catchy but ultimately repetitive melody over a machine generated groove. Golden Moments is a nice romantic ballad but runs a bit lengthy at seven minutes; in contrast, Rainy Afternoon features interesting ominous keyboard tones and soundscaping but wraps up after just two minutes. It's more a mood piece than a song. Evans has some good melodic ideas and is on the right track; he just needs to spend more on production and on developing a sax voice that might stand out from the pack.