Asbury Park-based Alexander Simone & the WHODAT? Live Crew are the winners of the Makin Waves Song of the Year with the Joe Pomarico-produced “Even Now” on Telegraph Hill Records. Alexander & Crew are pictured at the Wonder Bar, where they’ll return Dec. 30 for Telegraph’s annual What a Wonderful World Music Festival. PHOTO BY DOUG DRESHER

Since it dropped in early February on Telegraph Hill Records, Alexander Simone & the WHODAT? Live Crew’s soulful anthem “Even Now” has topped songs released by independent Jersey artists in 2022.

In an encore Makin Waves Song of the Week, “Even Now” also is the Makin Waves Song of the Year.

As the Makin Waves Song of the Year, “Even Now” also can be heard between 6:00pm and 8:00pm on Dec. 23 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you also can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin or MixCloud.

“Even Now” is an absolutely stunning track about God’s mysterious love, which remains abundant even though we don’t deserve it. Believing that “even now God is with us” despite all our enraging, frustrating differences in the face of hopelessness, Alex produced the gospel-enriched track with Joe Pomarico, an Atlantic Records senior engineer-producer who owns Telegraph Hill, and WHODAT? guitarist Jules Drucker, who adds greatly to the song’s sacred vibe. 

Another way to say “God with Us” is “Emmanuel,” and there’s no better time to say that than Christmastime! One of the most soul-stirring tunes I’ve heard come out of the New Jersey music scene throughout 42 years of covering it, “Even Now” can be heard live on Dec. 30 at the second night of Telegraph Hill’s annual What a Wonderful Year Music Festival at Asbury’s Wonder Bar, where King Ramses, The Foes of Fern, Pamela Flores, Dan Apy, Blaise, Karma Gambit and more will share the bill. 

For more about Alexander Simone & the WHODAT? Live Crew, click https://linktr.ee/Trulyasimone. 

Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at makinwaves64@yahoo.com.