Evermore - Real Life (2006)

New Zealand alternative rock trio Evermore comprised the three Hume brothers: singer/guitarist Jon, bassist/keyboardist Peter, and drummer Dann. Weaned on their parents' record collection (the band's name originates with the classic Led Zeppelin ballad "The Battle of Evermore"), the Fielding-born Humes played music throughout their adolescence, first collaborating under the Evermore aegis in 1999. A year later, they claimed top honors in the annual Kiwi high school band competition Rock Quest, channeling their prize money into their own recording facility, Red Sky Studio. Although Evermore pressed only 300 copies of their 2002 single "Slipping Away," the record earned steady airplay on the influential Australian radio outlet Triple J. The station also backed the band's first Aussie tour, mounted in 2003 in support of the EP Oil and Water. Months later Evermore resurfaced with a second EP, My Own Way, and a tour in support of U.S. rock outfit Brad. When flooding forced the trio to flee Red Sky Studio, they cut their 2004 debut full-length Dreams in Seattle with producer Barrett Jones. The singles "It's Too Late" and "For One Day" were both Top 20 hits in Australia, and after supporting New Zealand pop legends Split Enz on their 2006 reunion tour, Evermore issued their sophomore LP, Real Life.