Here we are again, readers! For those who can’t wait to hear how I am, I’m fine, thanks! My big news is that I have bought a wooden swing seat for my little garden and I’m really happy with it. In fact, I am sitting doing my review in the aforementioned seat with a large bumblebee in sight showing an interest in my lavender bush. But with headphones on, I am ready to listen to this debut album from Yev, a Ukrainian American artist.
I will let you read the press release first:
Yev introduces listeners to a rich blend of cinematic folk rock, modern blues, vintage pop, world music, and the soulful influence of his Ukrainian heritage. With evocative melodies and raw emotion, each track explores universal themes of hope, loss, and the search for belonging, brought to life by YEV’s dynamic and heartfelt vocal delivery.
Drawing from his immigrant story, the album reflects the challenges of navigating cultural identity and starting anew while honoring the resilience of Ukrainian refugees and war veterans whose stories inspired many of the songs. This dual perspective of personal reflection and cultural storytelling gives the album its cinematic and deeply human quality.
Produced by Stephen Helvig (Helvig Productions, Minneapolis, MN), the album features lush organ arrangements, rising strings, bluesy guitar riffs, and soaring vocal harmonies. Every layer of the album was crafted to immerse the listener in a cinematic soundscape that mirrors the emotional depth of the songwriting. Complemented by world-class visuals, including cover art by Greg Gorman and music videos by Norway’s VJUS, the project is both intimate and grand in scale.
From the wanderlust energy of “Refugee” and the haunting beauty of “Tempest Lullaby” to the mournful depth of “Hunger,” the uplifting spirit of “Last Prayer,” and the timeless reimaginings of “Motherless Child” and “Oi Chi To Kin,” YEV’s debut is a heartfelt journey that bridges cultures and resonates with universal human experiences.
My review:
“Refugee” (2:51) is a haunting lament with a powerful chorus. It is a multi-layered folk song, a story telling of “whispers in the night” and shadows creating the heavy road. It’s instrumentally interesting, a strong opener, a tale of displacement.
“Witness” (3:29) touches rock roots, atmospheric and a decent downbeat. This is one of those songs where the track needs a storm in the sky and distant thunder rumbling in the hills.
“Motherless Child” (3:34) is a reworking of the traditional spiritual song that dates back to the era of slavery. It suits the narrative for this album and the vocal delivery of YEV dovetails neatly into the track.
“Hunger” (3:28) is a brutal narrative; it recalls the Holodomor genocide of 1932–1933, where Stalin deliberately starved millions of Ukrainians. It’s a heavy, blues-influenced track, somber and dark.
“Last Prayer” (3:00) “When there’s no more drones to send, Smoke Clears blue Skies…” This song has more positivity about it; it looks to brighter times ahead and has a lighter step, more troubadour with a tale to celebrate.
“Oi Chi To Kin” (2:57) is a haunting refrain, a retelling of an old Ukrainian folk song. You feel the pulse of an old tale given life. There is an organ in the instrumentalization and it lifts the echoes of the past to 2025.
“Tempest Lullaby” (3:04) is almost medieval in its dealing with sadness and turmoil. I liked it, although the lament has so much pain in its theme. Delivered as a prayer, I think.
“Kozak’s Lament” (3:51). This is a soldier’s prayer, a lament. Vocally, it is delivered with power and empathy; it touches your hand for a moment.
Bez Mene” (2:47), I believe, is translated as “Without Me” and is a voice from someone no longer with us. It’s a song of touching mourning and, again, delivers a mix of blues and folk lament.
Standout tracks: “Tempest Lullaby,” “Motherless Child,” and “Refugee.”
In summary,
Music doesn’t always exist to lift our spirits; sometimes its purpose is to walk us straight into the fog, hand in hand with the ghosts that still shape us. This album does exactly that. It asks us to sit with sorrow, to acknowledge histories we’d rather avert our eyes from, and to feel the ache of voices that refuse to be forgotten. Yet in that immersion there’s a quiet, redemptive power: by allowing the past to sing through these songs, we’re reminded of our own resilience and of the fragile but enduring thread that binds grief to hope.
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Album website here
You can stream music by YEV here
By Anna-Louise Burgess
ALBUM CREDITS:
YEV: Music performed by Yev Rosso, contributing lead vocals, harmonies, and guitars.
Arrangements and Production: Stephen Helvig
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered: Helvig Productions – Stephen Helvig & Max Greene
Cover Art Photo: Greg Gorman
Graphic Design: Rick Allen
Songwriting: All songs by Yev Rosso (ASCAP Eugine Rosso), except:
“Motherless Child” and “Oi Chi To Kin” – public domain
FFO: Roy Orbison, Chris Isaak, Jeff Buckley, Hozier, Lana Del Rey, Stephen Sanchez