Evermore is an indie rock/alternative band originally from Feilding, New Ze… Read Full Bio ↴Evermore is an indie rock/alternative band originally from Feilding, New Zealand and now based in Melbourne, Australia. They formed in 1999.

What happens when dreams become real life?

The three Hume brothers of Evermore have come a long way since the release of their debut album Dreams. With over 300 live shows, an MTV Award, a NZ Music Award, the APRA Silver Scroll, five ARIA nominations, and hung a platinum record plaque on the wall of their home studio. It's a far cry from their humble beginnings in rural New Zealand, and it all culminates in their second album, Real Life.

The writing and initial recording took place in the isolation of their Central Coast abode, an isolation the boys were not only used to, but actively encouraged. Separating into different rooms, they each had their own private recording studio in miniature, working on tracks solo before bringing them together for the Evermore polish.

After two months in the warm environs of the Australian summer they leapt into the freezing winter of inland Massachusetts, USA. Actually, the term freezing is an understatement, we're talking temperatures of minus 25 degrees and below. Keeping true to their rural roots, they recorded in the oldest studio still operating in the US, Longview Farm. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith have all frozen their butts off there in the past. Respected engineer John Alagia (who mixed Dreams, and has worked with acts like John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band and Ben Folds) was chosen for the job for his twiddling tenacity and his striking good looks.

"I ended up doing a lot of the recording myself," explains Jon, speaking of their time at the farm. "We liked working with John Alagia because he believes in letting the artist have freedom rather than forcing ideas on to you. Plus he's a really funny guy. And when you're in the studio for months on end your sense of humor goes a little haywire!"

Allowing themselves freedom was also high on the agenda, with the two younger Humes contributing to the songwriting a lot more heavily than on Dreams. "Instead of me writing almost everything, we suddenly had three writers coming up with a lot," Jon says. "We could have made two albums simultaneously."

"Dann wrote nearly a song a day," echoes Peter. "He had over one hundred songs - which is insane! We definitely didn't have a lack of songs."

But perhaps the main difference between the two albums is in the songs themselves. From the epic energy of Running, the band's first single off the album, to the melodic harmonies of Never Let You Go; from the dynamic rock of Unbreakable to the uplifting lyrics of Light Surrounding You, this second album has seen the band's songwriting grow and diversify.

"Dreams was very atmospheric and mood-based," explains Jon. "This one jumps out of the speakers at you. The songs are more positive and sonically, it's more direct."

"Its louder and more to the point," agrees Dann. "We're going to grab people's attention, and leave them with something to think about."

With the likes of the Beatles, David Bowie and Bob Dylan on high rotation throughout the recording process, their shift to a focus on song writing seems only natural. "We've taken so much inspiration from classic songs," explains Pete. "We wanted to be sure all the tunes sounded great just played simply on a guitar, that way you know you have a great song."

"We're the kind of band that is going to change with every record," adds Jon. "We will always sound like us, but we'll utilise our strengths as three writers."

A new journey has just begun for this talented trio, whose sounds and lyrics have taught us how to dream.... Welcome to Real Life.

For Evermore management queries - info@scorpiomusic.com.au

Without Your Smile
Evermore Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Get back home and you're gone,
Step inside and it's cold,
I've been away so long,
This feels wrong.

Being without your smile feels wrong.
I've been without your smile too long, too long.

Feelings lie on the floor,
Thinking nothing at all,
Put my hand to the door,
Switch the light on the wall,

But I do know this,
Just one thing I miss,
What I know is this

Being without your smile feels wrong.
I've been without your smile too long, too long.

(come back home, come back home)

Being without your smile feels wrong

I've been without your smile too long,
Too long, too long, too long, too long, too long, too long, too long, too long

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Evermore's "Without Your Smile" are about the feeling of emptiness and loneliness that one experiences when they come back to an empty home after being away for a while. The first verse reflects the contrast between the expectations of the singer and the reality when they come back home, finding that their loved one is no longer there. The coldness inside the house is just a reflection of the void left in their heart. The second verse then reveals that the singer is lost in their thoughts, trying to make sense of the situation, but they can only think of one thing that they miss, which is the smile of their loved one. The chorus reinforces this idea that being without that smile feels wrong and that it has been too long since they last saw it.

The song, as a whole, communicates the feelings of nostalgia, sadness, and longing for a person who has left, as well as the desire to have them back. The melody also complements this sad and reflective tone, with a slow tempo and a melancholic piano, which are later joined by electric guitar and drums, creating a bittersweet atmosphere.

Line by Line Meaning

Get back home and you're gone,
As soon as I come back home, you are gone.

Step inside and it's cold,
As soon as I step inside, I can feel the coldness of your absence.

I've been away so long,
I have been away from you for a significant amount of time.

This feels wrong.
This feeling of being without you feels wrong.

Feelings lie on the floor,
My feelings are scattered and disorganized on the floor.

Thinking nothing at all,
I'm lost in thought, thinking about nothing in particular.

Put my hand to the door,
I place my hand on the door, ready to open it.

Switch the light on the wall,
I turn on the light switch on the wall.

But I do know this,
Despite the confusion and chaos within me, I am certain of one thing.

Just one thing I miss,
The one thing that I miss the most is you.

What I know is this
This is what I am certain of.