pop*eye...Eric Hutchinson - Sound Like This (2007)

POP*EYE
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Eric Hutchinson
Sound Like This (2007)

*I Proud To Recommended!!!*

Eric Hutchinson's album "Sounds Like This," is an interesting album name. You don't know what Eric Hutchinson sounds like? You are definitely missing out. It's a diverse plethora of style pouring from the heart of Eric Hutchinson. This is Hutchinson's third album and his talents are as diverse and entertaining on it as ever. He not only provides the vocals, but also plays piano, acoustic guitar, keyboard, percussion and the moog bass. He is supported by other musicians on this album as well, providing an amazing background.

The sound of Hutchinson's music has drawn comparisons from many styles, from Jason Mraz to Stevie Wonder and even The Beatles. When heard, only one thought should cross a person's mind: originality. His album is a clash of styles that form a symphony of great music. He has a touch of green-eyed soul, as some might say. His opening act, "OK, It's Alright With Me," is how you will feel about the song describing how living a life has its problems, but they should not affect who you are. The album exerts mellow vibes that aim to calm the nerves of its listeners. It is a mellow style that encompasses the talents of Hutchingson's physical abilities and his understanding of many people's daily grinds.

The album has a song that not only sounds great, but also tells a story in a subliminal fashion. "Outside Villanova" is actually a song about him getting into a relationship with an under-aged girl, also known as "robbing the cradle." It turns out that he gets arrested at the end of his story and never really figured out why he wanted the relationship. The song is so smooth that you tend to disregard what the song is about until you recite the lyrics yourself. The only problem I have with this album is its length. Only 10 songs long, it won't please those looking for an extensive collection. The quality and re-playability of this album should make up for the fact that it is so short. I didn't even notice it until I went through the album a second time.

This album is for listeners who like music that is mellow but fun and creative. It is also an album for those who have a sensitive ear for instrumentals. Grading this album on a five-star scale, I would give it a 4.5. It has great tracks that are going to be replayed generously. Hutchinson was wise to name the album as he did; he really sounds like this.

With all of the hard work that goes into making an album, it is so disheartening for the record label to drop someone when they are in the middle of production. But Eric Hutchinson didn’t let that bring him down, he made it inspiration for another one of his songs. Once creating his own record label Let’s Break Records, he was able to produce this new songs and others, all influenced by his careful observation of life as it passes him by, in the debut record he called Sounds Like This.

Once this album was finally released, it got major help from celebrity blogger Perez Hilton and skyrocketed to the Top 10 on Itunes downloads. It really shouldn’t have been a surprise either considering the style of music Hutchinson plays. The best way to describe it is Jason Mraz but with better vocal control and range, and who doesn’t like popping in a little Jason Mraz, sitting back, and enjoying your favorite beverage during the summer? Eric’s music makes you want to do the same thing, but unlike Jason, Hutchinson’s musical background is very diverse, making it enjoyable for both the casual poolside listener and the most knowledgeable music lover. He plays both guitar and keyboards on Sounds Like This and takes us through Music 101 by writing instrumentals with pop, blues, jazz, and ska influences. On paper, it sounds like the album would be too diverse to make sense, but Hutchinson can combine and transition these styles seamlessly to make this a very easy album to listen to.

Hutchinson quickly demonstrates his ability to move from style to style with the first three tracks. The album opens up with the laid back piano ballad “OK, It’s Alright with Me” and changes immediately to the raunchy attitude of “You Don’t Have to Believe Me.” In the second half of the album he switches to a Jack Johnson sound on “All Over Now” and finishes it with two blues songs, “Back to Where I Was” and “You’ve Got You.”

These songs are all great, but Hutchinson really reaches his pinnacle on tracks 4 though 6. This creative sprint starts off with “Food Chain,” an extremely catchy and simple pop song about the general hardships of life and how there is always someone above us trying to bring us down. The album moves to its first single “Rock and Roll” which has a slight ska feel with the offbeat guitar riff. Easily the most singable song, this song chronicles the night on the town of both a guy and a girl and comes to the conclusion that both want the same thing at the end of the night even though they go about it differently. Then the album hits its creative climax with “Oh!” the song he wrote after his record company dropped the album. Its musical simplicity is outdone only by its lyrical profundity. This song is Eric’s way of dealing with the surprises that everyday life throws at him, from a cop being envious of his social life to a woman telling him she likes to look good in case she dies.

This is truly a fantastic debut album and is definitely in the discussion of album of the year and breakthrough artist of the year. My only concern is the Eric released his whole arsenal in this album and that his future efforts won’t be too different. Something is telling me that won’t be the case however.

Here is the album of Eric Hutchinson. I think his genre is Pop/Folk and of course, I love this genre. having listened this album once and personally I think this album is very solid. Highly recommended!!! But don't forget to buy this one to support the artist!!!

All about
Eric Hutchinson

Singer/songwriter Eric Hutchinson stood in the studio Sunday morning in a purple and green plaid button up and gray slacks (possibly a tribute to his recent “jean hiatus,” which Hutchinson comically explains via his website), absent-mindedly strumming his guitar, his shaggy, dirty-blonde hair falling just above his deep brown eyes.

Hutchinson’s career took off last year after blogger Perez Hilton recommended the artist’s self-released album Sounds Like This on his website, launching Hutchinson into overnight popularity. Soon after, Hutchinson was signed by Warner Bros. Records, the same recording company that had dropped him six months earlier. The Maryland native appeared on fellow Emerson College graduate Jay Leno’s The Tonight Show in September 2008, and was named a “VH1 You Oughta Know” artist in the same month. Despite his sudden plunge into fame, Hutchinson says he doesn’t “take things as seriously” as he did when he was just starting out in the industry, adding, “I don’t take things for granted.”

The newcomer, who began touring with OneRepublic in January 2008, sounds like a hybrid of Corey Smith and John Mayer, with a pop-rock feel reminiscent of Gavin DeGraw. Hutchinson frequently finds inspiration in “random conversations with total strangers,” reflected in his song “Oh!” The song’s maraca-infused melody is complimented by a jazzy piano undertone, while the lyrics boast “Riding the subway with the scent of her hair/She took out a toothbrush started using it there/She explained, ‘I’m always sure today's the day I will die/I wanna look good if I get to look God in the eye’/And I said, ‘Oh!’”

Hutchinson credits his website as being an integral part of his relationship with the public, saying, “It’s important to connect with fans.” Hutchinson achieves this connection through blogs, pictures, and updates. His site even features a “favorite things” section, in which Hutchinson mentions seven things he’s into that month, ranging from favorite foods of the moment (Mexican as of November) to notable cities, movies, and bands.

Hutchinson will be performing at Middle East in Cambridge tonight before traveling down the east coast, playing venues in Baltimore, Alexandria, and New York City.

www.erichutchinson.com

www.myspace.com/erichutchinson

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"The Next Big Thing!"



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