| | | Ratings (8) |
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| 5.0 classic | bewdragon | June 5th 08 |
A sharp wit for lyrics, divine vocal gift, and unceasing dedication to superior music come together for the most intelligent and inspired songs I’ve ever heard! He doesn’t wear a cowboy hat, but if you’re aiming for good music, this Brooklyn boy is a deadeye gunslinger that shoots from the hip! Make no mistake; Eric Stuart is a God-blessed songwriting genius and vocal virtuoso! His clever lyrics take the most indescribable feelings you’ve had and bring it home, dead-on every time. His voice is specifically adapted to capture the mood of each powerfully emotional song. Though his musical style has as many different shades as a full spectrum rainbow, there is always pure country for true heart and roots rock for footloose fun! Prepare yourself to hear a devotion to quality and gift for music like there has never been—this King of Kings County has the Midas Touch!
3 Bumps | Bump |
| 5.0 classic | sternkind | July 18th 08 |
"Enchanting" can only begin to describe this wonderful CD. From the expanded version of "The Bottom Line" to the wedding-chapel-esque "This Love," it is impossible to not fall under the spell of the melodies, harmonies, lyrics, and the voice behind them all. Each song is a chronicle that releases the imagination to places and people so far away, and yet so close, until the listener is part of the story. Actually, "enchanting" doesn't even come close to successfully describing the pure brilliance of this CD. There is something very deep to these songs... something that simply cannot be put eloquently into words, no matter how hard one tries to do so.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 5.0 classic | chill | July 16th 08 |
Eric coins the term "concrete country" to describe his music, which defies classification. Most of his songs have an obvious classical country sound with varying degrees of that old time rock'n'roll. The result is fresh and unique, with something for everyone. But it isn't the genre that grips you--it's the attention to detail like you've never heard before. Each song is stacked with layer upon layer of quality, quality, quality. The first thing that strikes you is Eric's voice. As an accomplished voice actor, Eric can deliver a top-notch musical performance with an added emotion specific to each song. In The Last Word, he sounds like a mischievous boy on the verge of laughter striving to keep a straight face in order to deliver his sarcastic remarks. No one else can do that and sing at the same time! The next thing you'll notice are the catchy tunes. At the end of Paint the Town, there are a few bars of "don dee don don." No real words there; none are needed--I guarantee that during your boring daily grind, you'll start singing it to yourself, and the tune alone will make you smile. Now, the voice and tunes would be enough to sell it, but ESB takes it further. Closer listening reveals that the lyrics can stand on their own as good poetry. One part of Hand-Me-Down Love goes, "Some say this outfit suits me; I should button my lip, but our common thread hangs loosely, and it's causing me to slip." How many extended and multiple meanings can you find in these few, quickly sung words? Finally, the instrumentation is as carefully crafted as the other layers, with parts that change and develop along with the flow of ideas in each song. The Bottom Line contains two humorous examples: a sprightly violin part is used to convey the idea of laughter, and later, when Eric sings, "you'd better knock on wood," he really knocks on wood! In conclusion, each song is a masterpiece, and I can't imagine the amount of time, effort, and care that went into every line. No other group does all this! Also check out their other two albums: Blue Dressed in Black, and Bombshellshocked!
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 5.0 classic | BlockHeadHancho | July 22nd 08 |
Eric Stuart shows just how magnificent a song can be!
It takes tireless dedication, maniacal perfectionism, and God-given talent to make music like this. ESB spoiled me for life from the very first track—there is no going back to hearing music as usual now that I know that music like this is possible! Eric has the most wonderful voice I have ever heard. It can easily take on a full range of emotions, from charming boyish innocence to deep maddening anguish; yet it is always so rich and direly attractive (he sounds as sultry as he looks) that it steals your heart every time. His genius extends to the orchestration of sounds—seamlessly blending together voice and instrumentation into one unforgettable story-telling dreamscape. However, the unique trademark that makes ESB stand out above the rest is undoubtedly the lyrics. This is where Eric Stuart enters the realm of the impossible! The first time you listen to an ESB song, the lyrics sound beautiful, genuine, and natural—but closer listening thereafter reveals an intricate web of carefully chosen words. Somehow he manages to stack multiple shades of meaning and plays on words on top of each other. This complexity of seemingly effortlessly-knit rhetorical devices is like nothing I have ever heard before, and I notice something new every time. All the stuff that legends are made of is merely the icing on the cake! This guy is a song-writing madman with the alluring voice of a cunning devil! He is destined for greatness, and deserves to be a legend in his own time!
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| 5.0 classic | pigmon | July 9th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | beau99 | March 27th 08 |
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