Scott's Song by Song #56: Erewän - Soul is the Key
Welcome to issue #56 of Scott’s Song By Song (#scottssongbysong).For more information about this series, click here:
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Today, I’ll be reviewing the latest release by French multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/composer Etienne Gras, who goes by the professional name Erewän. This review was requested by Anne-Claire of Bad Dog Promotions. As usual, she provides me with a digital copy of the album and a press kit, otherwise there is no other compensation, and I am free to “call it like I hear it”. Erewän chose the name as it has a Celtic/Breton connotation as well as being a Tolkien style name, thus suiting his music and image. He released a demo in 2017 after meeting guitarist Alexandre Lamia in 2015 of the band Nine Skies (which is Anne-Claire’s band, see my spotlight on them on the blog, under the “Labels” tab). Alexandre encouraged him to release his music. Initially influenced by classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin, he also has taken in Celtic and Prog influences as well. Following his demo in 2017, he released a full length album in 2021 called “How Will This All End?” in 2021, and this is his second album, “Soul Is the Key” released in November of 2025. The album is a combination of re-worked songs from the 2017 demo and new material. The information I have on this album tells me that the new versions of the 2017 songs are a bit heavier in this incarnation. There are several guest musicians on board to bring his artistic vision to life:
Alexandre Lamia: Lead guitar (9,11), backing vocals (10) (Also engineered and mixed the album)
Xavier Boscher: Lead guitar (2)
Dothy Lorenzetti: Vocals (3), backing vocals (10)
Patrice Ricolvi: Lead guitar (4)
Alexis Bietti: Bass guitar (3)
Chris York: Vocals (9)
Alan Roberts: Backing vocals (10)
Without further ado, let’s jump in with my cold listen:
Track 1 - Greetings from Slumberland (5:07)
This begins with a heartbeat, a la Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”, along with some other sound effects. Synth chords bring us into a Celtic sounding intro, evoking a bagpipe tone. The melody switches to lead guitar with cymbal rolls and some flute tones. At 2 minutes, heavier guitar, bass and drums give accents and we are really off and rolling. This appears to be an instrumental introduction to the album. The groove changes at around the 3 minute mark. Erewän shows his lead guitar skills in particular. At around 4:30, there is a female voice speaking in French (I believe) but I do not know what she is saying, it is in the mix, not out front, so it is hard to say (not that I speak French anyway!). That leads us to the next track. A very attention grabbing opener to set the stage.
Track 2 - Fantasy Worlds (5:49)
Xavier Boscher guests on lead guitar here. This one has a driving rock beat yet with the Celtic flavors on top. Erewän sings on this one, in English with a French accent. There are delays on the vocals at the end of some phrases. The lead vocals might be a little too out front in the mix, it has a bit of a “demo” quality to it. The melodies are good, but his vocals are not as strong as his instrumental skills; although they are not without their charms. Boscher’s guitar solo is very strong and smoothly done. The song is really good, but the vocals do detract from it to my ears.
Track 3 - Still Sleeping (6:34)
This one features guest vocalist Dothy Lorenzetti. This begins with serene synth chords and a violin sound. Erewän begins the lead vocals in a half-spoken style that suits the tone of this song. Lorenzetti joins in on harmony vocals. She takes the lead on the next verse, and she has a lovely voice. I like the “good-news” message of the song. His voice seems to work a bit better for this one than in “Fantasy Worlds”. His lead guitar work is good in the solos and the backing tracks are well-done. I like the guitar harmonies at the fade-out. Good track.
Track 4 - High Fever (5:27)
Electric piano and bass set a mysterious mood for this one. Erewän sings lead again with a great earnest quality. His music definitely comes from the heart. Patrice Ricolvi takes a nice guitar solo. I like the musical arrangement. He has a bit of a hard time hitting some of the high notes as we approach the close of the song. I appreciate the DIY ethos of the album, but unfortunately his vocals continue to be an issue for me. It’s a good song that would be better served by having a strong guest vocalist.
Track 5 - Salvador’s Window (3:51)
This begins with a nice mix of fingerstyle guitar and keyboards; his folk influences are coming through. His vocals on this one seem better suited to the style, as he is staying in a lower register. This may be the best-delivered lead vocal so far from Erewän on the album. The backing tracks are rich and the guitar solo was smooth and melodic. Well-done!
Track 6 - Reaching You (6:31)
A flute-like melody and some rhythm guitar take us into a powerful introduction. That leads to a more rocking verse. The vocals are ok here, he is trying hard and it comes from his heart. The melody reminds me of something. Once again the guitar solo is executed well. There is a key change after 5 minutes and it modulates higher. I like the lead guitar with the vocals as the song reaches its end. Pretty good song.
Track 7 - Revealing Walls (5:33)
There is a nice drum intro leading to a descending chord progression. There is an effect in the second half of the first verse. The song has an intriguing vibe to it. The vocal parts with effects contrast nicely with the parts without effects. I like the arpeggiated keyboard parts in the bridge. I like the half whispered parts before 5 minutes. Pretty good.
Track 8 - Blackening Sky (4:16)
A nice big E minor chord arpeggio pattern on acoustic guitar opens this tune. The vocals are answered by acoustic slide fills. I think there is an occasional odd-meter measure in the mix. Erewän’s voice works well in this lower register. The song slowly builds as we progress. I like this one pretty well. Nice harmonics at the end. One of my more favored tracks on the album.
Track 9 - There’s a Way (4:24)
Guest vocalist Chris York wrote the lyrics on this one while Erewän wrote the music. Alexandre Lamia guests on lead guitar again. This begins with a nice blend of acoustic guitar and keyboards. I believe Erewän sings the opening lines. There are some harmonies along the way. I think York is singing harmonies on this ballad. Lamia has a nice, melodic guitar break before the bridge. York’s voice breaks through a bit more on the bridge. His voice is thick and soulful. Good track, another of the stronger ones on the album.
Track 10 - Soul is the Key (8:22)
We begin with lovely piano and flute-like playing. He joins in on vocals at around 1 minute. Drums, bass and acoustic guitar join in as we proceed in the 2nd verse. After the 2nd verse power chords enter the picture. The tempo is moderately slow. At around 5:30 he gives us spoken word encouragement. The tempo increases at 6 minutes, and he begins a guitar solo. He then returns to vocals at the faster tempo. There is a short tag at the end back at the slower tempo. Pretty good track, but the vocals still aren’t as good as I’d like them to be.
Track 11 - Ain’t a Farewell (4:40)
Synth and nylon string guitar start this slow tempo song. A steel string acoustic and piano join in. The flute-tone joins in. At about 2 minutes into it, it goes from pastoral to rockin’. The lead guitar tone has a bagpipe tone again with a quick 6-8 shuffle. As with the opener, there were some female spoken word vocals that are sort of buried in the mix. At about 3:30 things quiet down again and go back more like the beginning. The last few seconds return to the heartbeat that started the album off. A nice set of bookended instrumental pieces.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:
Erewän has a lot of potential, and the songs are pretty good as are the instrumental parts. As you have certainly gathered by now, the vocals are the issue here. They are not terrible, but they are sometimes a bit flat sounding. As I mentioned, I think his musical vision would be better-served by either bringing in more experienced lead vocalists or perhaps seeking out a vocal coach. I also think that the vocals are a bit too up-front in the mix and that could be revealing the flaws in his delivery. The overall vibe of the album is that of an unpolished demo, in my opinion. Again, there are a lot of good things here, but a bit more polish would be beneficial. Erewän is a talented musician and composer, but a little help with the vocals would go a long way. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 or 70%.
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Scott
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LINKS FOR LISTENING AND BUYING:
There is an album teaser on YouTube:
Here is the Bandcamp page on which to check it out and purchase it:
https://erewan.bandcamp.com/album/soul-is-the-key
It also is available on Spotify, and Apple Music, and I would suspect other streaming services.
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