Mark Evans lives in New York, records in Nashville, and hails from the Philadelphia suburbs of South Jersey. No surprise, his debut release “Rain on the Roses” is as eclectic as his background. Yes, Mark’s melodic, edgy, and sometimes dark brand of Americana owes its sound as much to the cobblestone streets and brownstones of the Northeast as it does the back roads and honky tonks of the south.

Focused on songwriting for much of his career, Mark has had success (his credits include “Steady ...