Evan Denley Releases New Lyric Video For “Building Walls”

Canadian folk rock singer-songwriter Evan Denley has just released a new lyric video for his deep-seated new single “Building Walls”. Denley’s new single is a reflection of the society we’re living in today, one where we build up walls and stay between the lines as we’ve been conditioned to, instead of living our lives to the fullest and speaking our truths. Produced by Graham Bieri, Building Walls is the first of two songs along with Make Me Feel Alive, from his debut solo release.

“Building Walls is kind of a f–k you to a bunch of things” says Denley.

“At the time I think I was just kind of in survival mode, I was trying to get my head on straight and figure myself out a little bit. It felt like the closer I got to truth and objectivity, the more everybody else just wanted to bury their heads in the sand. I was sick of everybody hiding from themselves…and hiding from me too I guess.”

Set against the spanning coastline and never ending horizon of Lake Eerie, the video was captured by St. Catharines based filmmaker Kyle Poole. The shots are all in black in white and as a viewer it gave me a sense of wonder, staring into the beauty of the Canadian lake but also a feeling of insignificance as I gazed at the open and seemingly never ending body of water, devoid of any human interference. The video was edited by Alex Huard, who did an incredible job of giving the viewer an opportunity to really let every line of the story sink in. The video moves you emotionally without taking any thought away from the depths of Denley’s lyrics.

“I think my ego’s a tyrant, you think you’re Marilyn Monroe”

The song is in many ways an ode to Bob Dylan and Neil Young, two musical icons Denley takes great inspiration from.

“They’ve both always had this way of smirking in the face of doom and stirring the pot… I think that’s the way to do it.”

Give it a watch below!

 Like Bob Dylan meeting Dallas Green at a Neil Young show, Denley’s writing is reminiscent of the 60’s folk rock revolution. Using songwriting to exercise his demons and drag them into the light, each song is a public dissection of his psyche and an attempt to find peace within the chaos. His lyricism explores the existential nature of life and holds a mirror up to the contemporary world.

As a guitar player, Denley’s play style can fall anywhere from the cosmic ramblings of Jerry Garcia in the Grateful Dead, to the smooth blues rock licks of John Mayer, and the fiery distorted lead lines of Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman. From strumming an acoustic guitar, to digging into a screaming electric solo – anything goes.