So, a couple weeks ago, I’m sitting in traffic on my way to my 9 to 5 gig, when a random song pops up on my trusty iPod and the lyrics catch my attention, “ . . . instead of being stuck here with the cattle on the interstate”. After a quick glance at the screen, I notice that it’s Eric Hamilton’s If I Were a Cowboy, and I realize that I need to listen to this disc a little bit more. I remember buying the album, “Dear Pia” and I remember playing it a few times. But outside of the opening track, I didn’t remember much else about the disc. If someone had walked up to me and asked me if this album was good, I would have probably just nodded yes on Hamilton’s reputation alone, not on the actual contents of said disc. Kind of sounds like a bad sign, doesn’t it? Fear not, Loyal Ones, for I have spent many a day revisiting “Dear Pia” and embracing the musicianship of Eric Hamilton.“Dear Pia” is an acoustically driven album that highlights Eric’s various styles. He can rock as hard as the next guy, but he brings a whole new sultry swagger to his blues-roots groove by way of his vocals. Honest vocals hit the nerves to the point that you too can feel his pain. Country-fried rock with little jazz flourishes here and there, perfectly timed bits of bluegrass, a pinch of Latin flair, some funk. He pulls it all off flawlessly.
The disc opens with a great jazzy-blues bit entitled, Nightlife of the Living Dead, which highlights his ability to create characters with lyric. He then lays down a groovin’ acoustic riff on I Don’t Mind that will inevitably have your feet moving. And, it goes on from there. Ebbing and flowing from mid-tempo, head bobbing tunes, to slow paced tearjerkers, ultimately wrapping up with an all out ho-down inspired ditty. By the time “Dear Pia” comes to an end, I find myself wondering, ‘Why the hell don’t I listen to this more?’
Though Eric Hamilton seems to adapt well to various musical styles, his strongest suit is the more mid tempo straight forward tunes. And, if he’s got the acoustic guitar going, boy . . . sit down! It doesn’t get much more emotional than that. Take a listen to So Tore Up With You and Another Shade of Blue and get back with me. It’ll bring back images of all those singer / songwriters from the ‘70’s that you love so much, just more edgy. It’s probably this aspect of his style that keeps me coming back for more. Honesty. He’s a musician who’s lived what he writes. He’s struggled with the typical industry issues . . . poor management, poor promotions, lack of support, etc. Yet, he’s still out there writing and recording, and it looks like he’s getting the necessary support from his label, Rawhide Records.
And, while Eric is out there living the musician’s life, I’ll continue sitting in traffic wishing I were him, and eventually writing reviews on the rest of his catalogue.--Pope JTE
www.myspace.com/erichamiltonband
Comments