Evergreen (Echo & The Bunnymen Album) - Releases and Reception

Releases and Reception

The live debut of "Nothing Lasts Forever" was at the Cream nightclub in Liverpool in early May 1997 at Echo & the Bunnymen's first concert since reforming. This was followed by two sold-out concerts at the Mercury Lounge in New York and a number of festival appearances in the US, UK and Europe before Evergreen was released on 14 July 1997 by London Records. A limited edition version containing a bonus disc titled History of the Peel Sessions 1979–1997 was released at the same time. The bonus disc contains tracks that were recorded live for John Peel's show on BBC Radio 1 between 1979 and 1997. Following the album, two more singles were released – "I Want to Be There (When You Come)" in September 1997 and "Don't Let It Get You Down" in November 1979. The album was reissued in 1999 with the addition of four live tracks.

Reviewing Evergreen for Allmusic, Ned Raggett described it as "an attractive piece of work" when it "shines at its best". Although he noted, "Replacement drummer Michael Lee fills in adequately but not completely, rendering what was a special group something less so." The reviewer for British music magazine Melody Maker, called the album a "triumph" for fans as well as acknowledging that the album was unlikely to impress people who were not familiar with their work. The album was described in Rolling Stone magazine as "a stunning comeback". Jeremy Helligar for Entertainment Weekly was not as keen and described the reunion as having "the feel of a non-event".

Evergreen became Echo & the Bunnymen's fifth album to make the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart when it reached number eight during its first week of release and stayed on the chart for seven weeks. "Nothing Lasts Forever" reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart, although the follow-up singles "I Want to Be There (When You Come)" and "Don't Let It Get You Down" fared less well reaching numbers thirty and fifty respectively.