B-Side Guys

Three days into its existence, “Halcyon” already contradicts its title. The third track from Once More, Autumn’s fresh EP “Foals” offers anything but the tranquility its name suggests, instead constructing a sonic landscape where serenity and disturbance exist in productive tension.

Evan Walton’s Eau Claire project demonstrates how geographic transplantation can yield creative cross-pollination. The Berklee alumnus’s Minnesota roots blend with Wisconsin’s artistic soil to produce something that transcends regional categorization while still feeling grounded in Midwestern emotional honesty. This particular composition benefits tremendously from the ensemble approach, with Jeremy Boettcher (known for his work with S. Carey) providing rhythmic counterbalance to Walton’s vocal intensity.

The track opens with an invitation—or perhaps a challenge—to “take it to your church,” immediately establishing both sacred imagery and confrontational tone. This religious framing creates interpretive space where subsequent lines about watching someone “fall” and “burn” take on both literal and metaphorical significance. The delivery suggests personal witnessing rather than abstract commentary, with Walton’s vocals conveying both distance and involvement in the described dissolution.

What distinguishes “Halcyon” from typical indie rock fare is its architectural patience. The arrangement builds gradually from sparse foundations to textural complexity, mirroring the emotional journey from observation to engagement. When Walton describes someone “shaking in your boots” amid “people taking cheap shots,” the instrumentation intensifies accordingly, creating sonic solidarity with the vulnerable party.

Isaac John and Steve Shaw’s contributions create atmospheric depth that prevents the track from settling into predictable indie-folk territory. Their approach to alternative textures eschews mere decoration, instead functioning as emotional counterpoint to Walton’s introspective lyrics. This integration between vocal sentiment and instrumental expression reaches its apex during the highland/morning imagery that closes the song, where the arrangement achieves a hard-won expansiveness.

“Halcyon” signals a significant artistic evolution from Once More, Autumn’s 2021 debut EP “Love is a Sea.” While maintaining thematic continuity, the return to full band dynamics creates both literal and figurative resonance. The result is a composition that doesn’t just describe emotional landscapes but constructs them soundwave by soundwave, inviting listeners into spaces where destruction and creation occur simultaneously.