CD Spins - Reviews - E
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Comp
EAGLE-EYE CHERRY
Desireless (Work)
This brother of Neneh Cherry and son of the late jazzman Don Cherry,
Eagle-Eye Cherry has come forth with some smooth, catchy, radio-ready
folk-rock that on the surface might appeal to fans of The Wallflowers and
Counting Crows, or perhaps Hootie and the Blowfish. Cherry boasts a warm,
intimate vocal tone reminiscent of Cat Stevens, and sensitive, new-age guy
lyrical sentiments to match. Cherry draws from a wide rhythmic and tonal
palette, including Caribbean, blues and soul. "Save Tonight" is already
chewing up the airwaves -- there's more where that came from. [ 10/4/98 ]
FRED EAGLESMITH
Lipstick Lies and Gasoline (Razor and Tie)
On the surface, Fred Eaglesmith is all tough guy,
singing about fast cars, trains, loaded guns, drinking
and faster cars. But like Warren Zevon before him,
there is a soft, inner core to Eaglesmith -- the
bravado typically masks a trail of tears and a broken
heart. In spare, acoustic and early-rock 'n' roll
arrangements, Eaglesmith does for the lost world of
backroom romance what Faulkner did for the South -- he
immortalizes it with the intimacy of one who knows
firsthand whereof he speaks, yet who is able to write
about it with ironic detachment. [ 10/12/97 ]
STEVE EARLE
El Corazon (Warner Bros.)
If it was ever in doubt that Steve Earle is a one-man
national music foundation, "El Corazon" puts that to
rest, as Earle effortlessly glides from Woody Guthrie-
style folk to Tom Petty/Bob Dylan-like folk-rock to
country (accompanied by Emmylou Harris) and bluegrass
(backed by the Del McCoury Band). Even the Fairfield
Four are on hand to lend their gospel pipes to one of
Earle's dozen well-crafted originals, which whether
they're rocking or twanging are infused with the heart
of a true American visionary who has seen the darkness
and the light.[ 10/19/97 ]
STEVE EARLE
I Feel Alright (Warner Bros.)
Earle follows up last year's bluegrass-steeped, critically-acclaimed "Train A Comin'" with a more hard- rocking effort that is equally worthy of acclaim. Earle sings whereof he knows; like a contemporary Hank Williams, he's as familiar with the underbelly of Americana as its more hopeful surface. But unlike Williams, he's a survivor, making the sort of rootsy, heartland rock crossed with Beatlesque pop that John Mellencamp wishes he did. "Poor Boy" is Johnny Cash-like rockabilly; "Valentine's Day" is an Elvis Presley-like ballad; "You're Still Standin' There" is a Dylanesque folk-rocker, and Earle stands shoulder to shoulder with all three.
CLIFF EBERHARDT
12 Songs of Good & Evil (Red House)
The venom just drips from every phrase of the "Good
Example," at once the most gorgeous and nastiest
put down tune since Lucy Kaplansky's "The Thief." It's
typical of the dozen, perfectly-crafted originals on
the Northampton singer-songwriter's latest CD, which
comes out this Tuesday. Over stripped-down
arrangements, Eberhardt's gutsy vocals vie for top-
billing with his writing, which variously recalls the
Beatles, Billy Joel, Randy Newman and Lyle Lovett.
Mostly, though, it makes you think of Cliff Eberhardt,
who is as good as any of them. One of the year's best.
[ 8/17/97 ]
CLIFF EBERHARDT
Mona Lisa Cafe (Shanachie)
For too long Eberhardt has gone unheralded, for he
is one of our finest contemporary singer-songwriters.
Deeply rooted in traditional blues and folk, yet with
a classic-pop sensibility and the melodic ear of a
Paul McCartney or Cole Porter, Eberhardt crafts
songs that are meant to last. A dynamite guitar player
often called upon to back others for his axe skills,
Eberhardt is also a dynamic singer. And his ``Mona
Lisa Waits'' is destined to sit beside Don McLean's
``Vincent'' in the pantheon of great songs about great
paintings.
MARK EITZEL
60 Watt Silver Lining (Warner Bros.)
The failure of American Music Club ever to catch on with a large following will always remain one of the great mysteries of rock history, right behind the Ramones and the Replacements. Eitzel, however, has made the most of his band's breakup, and come back with an album of haunting, langorous, pre-rock-style, original pop tunes. It's almost jazz singing, and with the Chet Baker-like trumpet of Mark Isham, Eitzel could well be a post-modern Billie Holiday.
ENYA
The Memory of Trees (Reprise)
The third solo album by the Irish, new-age
chanteuse/multi-instrumentalist, her first since
1991's Shepherd Moons is a kind of Druidic
prayer. Its multilingual songs boast her soaring
vocals applied variously to new-age, Celtic and Chant-
like melodies, but its her symphonic keyboard textures
that give the project the feel of modern Church music.
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
Your Little Secret (Island)
Then there's Melissa Etheridge, who has cornered
the abandoned market on mid-'80s style, guitar-
crunching, melodic arena-rock. But this time out,
she's more Bon Jovi than John Mellencamp. And lyrics
like ``I'll buy you mangos baby/Your favorite
fruit/I'll shave everything baby/I'll press my suit''
don't quite cut the mustard, even with the ambiguous
rogovoy@berkshire.net
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Copyright © 1996 Seth Rogovoy
Produced bt The BerkshireWeb