{{short description|American singer-songwriter}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Sam Evian | birth_name = Sam Griffin Owens | alias = | origin = Brooklyn, New York | genre = {{hlist|Indie rock|psych pop}} | years_active = 2016–present | label = {{hlist|Saddle Creek|Fat Possum}} | website = {{URL|https://www.samevian.com}} }} '''Sam Griffin Owens''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Jeremy |date=October 28, 2021 |title=Reviews: Sam Evian - Time to Melt |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/30739-sam-evian-time-to-melt-review |access-date=February 10, 2022 |website=The Quietus}}</ref> known professionally as '''Sam Evian''', is an American songwriter, instrumentalist and producer based in New York.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sam-evian-mn0003539868|title=Sam Evian {{!}} Biography, Albums, Streaming Links|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> He has released four full-length albums.
== History == In 2016, Sam Evian signed with Saddle Creek Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.omaha.com/go/sam-evian-s-you-forever-on-the-way-via-saddle/article_beb036ac-886c-5710-8e2a-6e3cae752682.html|title=Sam Evian's ''You, Forever'' on the way via Saddle Creek|last=writer|first=Kevin Coffey World-Herald staff|website=Omaha.com|date=26 March 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> Sam Evian's music has been described as indie rock, "crunchy country", and "70s-tinged psychedelic soft rock".<ref>For "indie rock", see {{Cite web|url=https://www.thefourohfive.com/music/article/sam-evian-gives-us-two-more-previews-of-his-debut-album-in-you-forever-and-country-152|title=Sam Evian gives us two more previews of his debut album in 'You, Forever' and 'Country'|website=The 405|language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}
*For "crunchy country", see {{Cite web|url=https://www.thefourohfive.com/music/article/sam-evian-releases-crunchy-country-track-health-machine-and-reveals-new-album-details-152|title=Sam Evian releases crunchy country track 'Health Machine' and reveals new album details|website=The 405|language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}} *For "70s-tinged psychedelic soft rock", see {{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/get-lost-in-sam-evians-70s-tinged-psychedelic-soft-rock/|title=Get Lost in Sam Evian's 70s-Tinged Psychedelic Soft-Rock|last1=Terry|first1=Josh|last2=Sundermann|first2=Eric|date=2017-10-04|website=Noisey|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> He released his debut album ''Premium'' in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/features/album-stream-sam-evian-premium|title=Album Stream: Sam Evian - 'Premium'|website=Clash Magazine|date=26 September 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> The album's lead single, "I Need a Man", was premiered by ''Stereogum''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1894495/sam-evian-i-need-a-man/mp3s/|title=Sam Evian – "I Need a Man"|date=2016-08-18|website=Stereogum|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref>
In 2018, Evian released his second album ''You, Forever''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefourohfive.com/music/article/sam-evian-gives-us-two-more-previews-of-his-debut-album-in-you-forever-and-country-152|title=Sam Evian gives us two more previews of his debut album in 'You, Forever' and 'Country'|website=The 405|language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead contributed to the album's song "Next to You".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nyc.thedelimagazine.com/37596/sam-evian-and-kazu-makino-collaborate-on-you-forever|title=Sam Evian and Kazu Makino collaborate on "You, Forever"|website=The Deli Magazine {{!}} nyc.thedelimagazine.com/|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/10/listen-to-sam-evian-and-kazu-makino-re-imagine-nex.html|title=Listen to Sam Evian and Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead Reimagine "Next to You"|last=Kamp|first=Justin|website=pastemagazine.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> The song "Health Machine" was released as a single and music video.<ref>{{Citation|title=Listen to Sam Evian: "Health Machine" by Sam Evian|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/sam-evian-health-machine/|language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/03/26/596473551/sam-evians-health-machine-drips-summer-sweat|title=Sam Evian's 'Health Machine' Drips Summer Sweat|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefourohfive.com/music/article/sam-evian-releases-crunchy-country-track-health-machine-and-reveals-new-album-details-152|title=Sam Evian releases crunchy country track 'Health Machine' and reveals new album details|website=The 405|language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1988618/sam-evian-health-machine-video/video/|title=Sam Evian – "Health Machine" Video|date=2018-03-26|website=Stereogum|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> Another single, titled "IDGAF", was premiered by ''Stereogum''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1993222/sam-evian-idgaf/music/|title=Listen to Sam Evian's New Song, "IDGAF"|date=2018-04-25|website=Stereogum|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> In the ''Pitchfork'' review of ''You, Forever'', Allison Hussey wrote that Evian "offers rock songs about vulnerability and desire that are gentle and sweet but avoid the most saccharine tendencies of soft rock".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/sam-evian-you-forever/|title=Sam Evian: You, Forever|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref> Digital Trends included ''You, Forever'' in their list of the best albums of 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/best-albums-of-2018/|title=Best Albums of 2018|website=www.digitaltrends.com|date=12 December 2018 |access-date=2019-01-12}}</ref>
In 2021 it was announced that Evian had been signed to Fat Possum Records and that his new album ''Time to Melt'' would be released on October 29, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-19|title=Sam Evian Signs to Fat Possum & Drops New Single|url=https://closedcap.com/2021/05/19/sam-evian-signs-to-fat-possum-drops-new-single/|access-date=2021-10-27|website=Closed Captioned|language=en-US}}</ref> Of the album, ''Aquarium Drunkard'' said, "''Time to Melt'' aspires to address the strife of the present and sound good while cooking dinner. No short order, but with its lush sounds and warm nods in the direction of Sly and the Family Stone, T. Rex, and Shuggie Otis, he’s pulled it off."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-18|title=Sam Evian : The Aquarium Drunkard Interview|url=https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2021/08/18/sam-evian-the-aquarium-drunkard-interview/|access-date=2021-10-27|website=Aquarium Drunkard|language=en-US}}</ref> ''Flood Magazine'' said, "''Time to Melt'' spins death in a funky, positive light."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sam Evian's ''Time to Melt'' Spins Death in a Funky, Positive Light|url=https://floodmagazine.com/93413/watch-sam-evian-time-to-melt/|access-date=2021-10-27|website=FLOOD|language=en-US}}</ref>
His fourth album, ''Plunge'', was released on March 22, 2024. It was recorded in early 2023 at his studio Flying Cloud Recording in the Catskills, New York.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Matt |title=Sam Evian Takes a Plunge |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/sam-evian/sam-evian-takes-a-plunge |access-date=8 January 2025 |publisher=Paste |date=20 March 2024}}</ref>
== Discography == === Albums === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col" style="width:14em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Album details |- ! scope="row"| ''Premium'' | * Released: September 30, 2016 * Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming * Label: Saddle Creek |- ! scope="row"| ''You, Forever'' | * Released: June 1, 2018 * Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming * Label: Saddle Creek |- ! scope="row"| ''Time to Melt'' | * Released: October 29, 2021 * Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming * Label: Fat Possum |- ! scope="row"| ''Plunge'' | * Released: March 22, 2024 * Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming * Label: Flying Cloud |}
=== Singles === * "Sleep Easy" / "You Have to Hydrate" (2016) * "Easy to Love" (2021) * "Knock Knock" (2021) * "Time to Melt" (2021) * "Never Know" (2021) * "Life Go Low" (2023) * "Wisteria" (2023)
=== Production discography === * Johanna Samuels – ''Excelsior'' (producer, engineer, mixing, performer) * Widowspeak – ''Plum'' (producer, engineer, mixing, performer) * Anna Burch – ''If You're Dreaming'' (producer, engineer, mixing, performer) * Molly Sarlé – ''Karaoke Angel'' (producer, engineer, mixing, performer) * Hannah Cohen – ''Welcome Home'' (producer, engineer, mixing, performer) * Kazu – ''Adult Baby'' (producer, engineer, mixing, performer) * Cass McCombs – ''Tip of the Sphere'' (engineer, performer) * Lina Tullgren – ''Free Cell'' (engineer) * Wilder Maker – ''Zion'' (engineer) * Cass McCombs – ''I'm a Shoe'' (Mangy Love) (producer, engineer) * Okkervil River – ''In the Rainbow Rain'' (engineer) * Okkervil River – ''New Blood/Skip Tracer'' (engineer, mixing) * Sam Amidon – ''Juma Mountain and April'' (engineer) * Blonde Redhead – ''Golden Light'' (engineer for string recordings) * Cassandra Jenkins – ''Play Til You Win'' (engineer, producer, mixing, performer) * Buck Meek – ''Heart Was Beat'' (engineer, mixing) * Sam Evian – ''Premium'' (producer, engineer, mixing, performer, composer) * Sam Evian – ''You, Forever'' (producer, engineer, mixing, performer, composer) * Sam Evian – ''Need You EP'' (mixing, performer, composer) * Sam Evian – ''Time to Melt'' (producer, performer, composer) * Big Thief – ''Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You'' (engineer, mixing, additional production) * Kate Bollinger – ''Songs From A Thousand Frames Of Mind'' (producer, engineer, performer, composer)
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{Official website|https://www.samevian.com}} *{{Discogs artist|artist=5250954|name=Sam Evian}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Evian, Sam}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:Saddle Creek Records artists Category:Fat Possum Records artists