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Morgan Evans – ‘Life Upside Down’ EP review

Morgan Evans has become one of the most popular acts among UK country fans since he first played here in 2017, with frequent trips back since – most recently to make his main stage debut at C2C earlier this year. Now, after the success of his emotional single ‘Over For You’, he’s released his new EP ‘Life Upside Down’ (a reference to his Australian heritage as well as the turbulent year he’s been through which inspired much of this project), the follow-up to 2021’s ‘The Country And The Coast Side A’.

The quintet of tracks opens with ‘Over For You’, which features a shimmering intro and a mellow piano and guitar line underlying Evans’ vocals. You can tell that this is a song that really comes from the heart for him – there’s a depth of feeling in it that shines through the whole piece, particularly on the yearning chorus, and it’s impossible not to be moved by it. He completely nails that feeling of being blindsided by a breakup and, despite no doubt being a challenging song to deliver, absolutely pulls it off.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom – in fact quite the opposite. Current single ‘On My Own Again’ has a bright, jangly feel about it, continuing the story of ‘Over For You’ with a sense of moving on and looking forward despite being alone, as well as tongue-in-cheek references to ‘a suitcase and tequila’ in the front seat and a big soaring chorus. Elsewhere, the bouncy, lively ‘All Right Here’ is packed full of twangy guitars and details like green grass and bags of ice – it wouldn’t sound out of place on a Kenny Chesney album – whilst ‘Hey Little Mama’ (which Evans performed live in his C2C set) features sharp chords, smooth vocals and a summery vibe that sees him showing off his flirtatious side, especially on the anthemic chorus. Both of them offer genuine hands-in-the-air moments and I think they’re going to sound great live with an audience swaying and singing along at top volume.

Evans rounds off the EP with a second take on ‘Over For You’, this time the version he played live at CMC Rocks in Melbourne which went viral. Personally I prefer this to the studio recording – the stripped-back piano melody really highlights the raw emotion in his voice as he delivers the song, particularly on the chorus, whilst the background noise from the crowd adds a unique energy, especially the supportive cheers at the end. It feels like closing the chapter for him and I’m excited to see where he goes from here.

Overall ‘Life Upside Down’ is a great reflection on the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with a major breakup, and Evans brilliantly captures all sides of that – whether that’s the heartbreak of ‘Over For You’ or the joyful sense of moving on present in the other tracks. He’s shown his ability to inject plenty of feeling into his music and it’s impossible not to warm to him throughout this 16 minutes of music. Here’s to bigger and better things in the future, and hopefully a return visit to the UK soon too!

Track listing: 1. Over For You 2. On My Own Again 3. Hey Little Mama 4. All Right Here 5 Over For You (Live In Melbourne) Record label: Warner Music Nashville Release date: 21st April 2023

Laura Cooney
Laura Cooney
Laura has been writing for Entertainment Focus since 2016, mainly covering music (particularly country and pop) and television, and is based in South West London.

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Morgan Evans has become one of the most popular acts among UK country fans since he first played here in 2017, with frequent trips back since - most recently to make his main stage debut at C2C earlier this year. Now, after the success...Morgan Evans - 'Life Upside Down' EP review