Piano-driven pop that I (embarassingly) like?
The Grumpy Critic
I started listening (reluctantly) to Lena & Evan. Could the names be any more vanilla?
Piano-driven pop?
Please.
I'd rather have a root canal.
But as the songs unfolded, I felt something...weird. I was kinda happy (that doesn't happen much, note the name).
What I liked...
Lena’s voice is annoyingly good. I mean really good.
At first, it's the kind of vocal you want to dislike because it sounds like it belongs in some overproduced commercial jingle, but it has this raw brightness that cuts through the noise. Evan's voice syncs with Lena's, although it's not as strong on its own. But, together, they build a sound that’s richer than a two-person act has any right to be.
What bugged me...
That said, some things bugged me. Some of the lyrics lean into the predictable pop playbook, big themes of love and resilience, phrases you’ve probably heard before. A couple of moments felt like they were engineered to be Instagram clips more than real musical exploration.
And, honestly, they smile too much in their music. I mean you can hear it in the way they sing. Nobody should be that happy...
And then...
But then I heard songs from Calling Home and a preview of tracks off their upcoming Invisible, and it clicked. The new stuff has a bite more bite, a bit more texture that edges away from the sugar coating. If they keep leaning into that side of their sound, they might just convert more grumpy anti-pop people like me.
So yeah, was I annoyed I liked it? Absolutely. Will I tell my friends I’m listening? Probably not. Will I listen? Maybe, probably. And I'll probably be smiling, too.
The verdict:
Obligatory website link to try to curry favor and get free swag or drinks.