EP Review

Wayne Everett has always possessed the kind of voice that seems made for twilight. Whether surrounded by the shimmering guitars of The Lassie Foundation or working through the reflective pop of his solo records, Everett sounds most natural when a song is suspended somewhere between daylight and darkness. That makes After Dark an especially appropriate title for this quietly absorbing five-song EP.

Released on July 27, 2026, After Dark is a compact collection, but it never feels minor. Everett uses its brief running time to explore instrumental atmosphere, melodic pop and the warm, slightly mysterious qualities that have long defined his music. The result is a record that feels relaxed on the surface while revealing more detail with each listen.

"Gulf Stream" begins the EP with a sense of movement. The song has the feeling of looking through a car window as familiar streets gradually disappear behind you. Everett avoids forcing the arrangement toward an oversized conclusion. Instead, the music is allowed to drift, with Jason71's bass helping give the track a steady foundation.

"Ricardo" moves further into the EP's cinematic side. The first version is presented without a lead vocal, allowing the melody and production to carry the emotional weight. Its unhurried pacing makes it feel less like an incomplete song and more like a self-contained instrumental scene.

The record's most immediately inviting moment may be "Champs-Elysees." The title suggests Parisian lights and late-night motion, and the track fits naturally within the EP's nocturnal atmosphere. Everett's gift has always been his ability to make dreamy music feel intimate rather than distant, and that quality remains central here.

"No Land in Sight" is the EP's most evocative title and one of its strongest pieces. Margaret Worsley's clarinet adds an unexpected texture, bringing a human, almost fragile quality to the recording. The song feels suspended between hope and uncertainty, as though its destination remains hidden somewhere beyond the horizon.

The closing "Ricardo (Vocal Version)" returns to the earlier instrumental and gives it a different identity. Placing the two versions on the same EP allows the listener to hear how Everett's voice alters the emotional center of the music. What first appeared cinematic and open-ended becomes more personal once the vocal enters.

Three of the EP's tracks - "Gulf Stream," "Champs-Elysees" and "No Land in Sight" - were produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Frank Lenz at Olive View Audio Recordings in Redlands, California, with additional recording by Everett in Koreatown, Los Angeles. "Ricardo" was produced by Everett and Chris Colbert at National Freedom Studio in Cottage Grove, Oregon, with Colbert handling the recording, mixing and mastering.

Those different recording locations do not make the EP sound disconnected. The common thread is Everett's preference for atmosphere, memorable melody and careful restraint. Nothing feels unnecessarily crowded. Every instrument appears to have been placed according to what the song needs rather than what might make the production sound larger.

At five tracks, After Dark leaves the listener wanting more, but that brevity is also part of its appeal. The EP arrives, establishes its nighttime world and disappears before the mood has a chance to wear thin.

After Dark is not an attempt to recreate The Lassie Foundation, nor does it need to be. It sounds like Wayne Everett continuing to follow the quieter and more cinematic path of his solo work. The familiar melodic warmth remains, but it is framed by open space, instrumental color and the feeling of traveling through the city after everyone else has gone home.

It is a small, carefully constructed record that rewards late-night listening.

Standout Tracks: "Champs-Elysees," and "Ricardo (Vocal Version)"

Recording Credits

"Gulf Stream," "Champs-Elysees" and "No Land in Sight" were produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Frank Lenz at Olive View Audio Recordings in Redlands, California. Additional recording was completed by Wayne Everett in Koreatown, Los Angeles.

Jason71 played bass on "Gulf Stream," and Margaret Worsley played clarinet on "No Land in Sight."

"Ricardo" was produced by Wayne Everett and Chris Colbert at National Freedom Studio in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Chris Colbert recorded, mixed and mastered the track.