Customer Reviews

Eric Carmen

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ex-lead singer for the group The Raspberries, Eric Carmen released, in my opinion one of 1975's best albums. The huge radio hit "All By Myself" and the followup hit "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again" were very touching songs. "All By Myself", included on this cd is in it's full length (7 min.) and single versions (5 min.), was a masterpiece with Carmen playing piano and singing with great emotion. No wonder it was played so much on radio back then - a real tear jerker. The album has some great pop rock songs with the standouts being the catchy "Sunrise", "Last Night", "My Girl", "No Hard Feelings", and "That's Rock & Roll" (also made popular by teen idol Shawn Cassidy). Carmen also does an excellent version of The Drifter's hit "On Broadway". Also included is a "live" version of "Sunrise". If you enjoy melodic seventies pop rock and ballads then Carmen's debut is a cd you'll certainly treasure.

Truly one of the great albums of its genre/time, the music 'borrows' from Rachmaninoff throughout. If you're interested try Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #2 for starters.

If you love pop melodies that have that commercial zing to them, you will love this album. I wore out two copies in vinyl, and ran to buy two copies of the CD, and have listened to it non-stop since purchasing. Eric's mournful, soulful almost-whine vocals lend his ear-candy a definite edge, making these classically-based compositions all the more enjoyable. The pure sunshine pop of SUNRISE and LAST NIGHT is deliriously joyful. A deftly made record that has withstood the test of time. Cannot wait for Eric's new release...coming soon! Where is BOATS/CURRENT on CD? It is his best album.

I purchased this album in 1975 when it was first released and practically wore the grooves out. Through the years of storage it got warped and never sounded the same. Now I finally have a new copy of it and am elated. This album is a must have!

One thing that is really nice with the CD is that a history of each song is given and why it was written. This is not with the original album.

Carmen stormed the charts in 1975 with this album's two lush, forlorn ballads, "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" and "All By Myself." But his history as a pop-rocker with The Raspberries was also a strong presence on this solo debut's album tracks. His own early history provides the story for "That's Rock 'n' Roll" (turned into a hit single by Shawn Cassidy), and the opening "Sunrise" is a jangle-pop masterpiece. Other power-pop highlights include the harmony-rich kiss-off "Last Night" and Badfinger-styled "No Hard Feelings," both drawing heavily on The Beatles and Beach Boys. The closing cover of "On Broadway" is out of place among Carmen's originals, not least of which for the slick wind-chimes and synthesizers. Rhino's reissue of the original Arista album thoughtfully includes the album version of "All By Myself" (all 7-minutes, 10-seconds of it, including a lengthy instrumental passage in the middle) along with the edited 5-minute single, and a live version of "Sunrise" that can't touch the carefully manicured brilliance of the studio original.

With a nod and wave to serendipity, I am delighted to find out that as a result of technology and the internet, that didn't even exist when this album was released in 1975, I can buy this record on CD 31 years after first buying it, with my original vinyl copy pretty warped and nearly worn out. I can't believe I can find this album on CD to give to a new artist for inspiration, whose work and art I am investing in, and who is currently completing a CD of pop/emo/triphop songs, that 31 years later has some similar musical and lyrical themes to those in this album. If the ultimate test of any great music is that the listener wants to hear it over and over again, sometimes with the songs on the album surfacing involuntarily, while humming a melody as one performs some slavish day to day task, then these songs (and also songs in Eric's album "Boats Against the Water,") pass the test with an "A." It is even more remarkable to know from other comments posted here that there are other people out there (and still alive), who still also remember, listen to, value, appreciate, and somewhat cherish this music.

First solo album by Eric after his break-up with the Raspberries. After practically inventing "Power Pop" with the Raspberries (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?) Carmen proves that he can switch from guitar to piano and write some of the best love songs ever. In fact, the only good thing about experiencing breaking-ups in Jr. High was that I could put this album on and have my teen angst readily expressed in song. Instant classics like "All By Myself" and "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" show Carmen is as influenced by Rachmaninoff as he was by McCartney in his days with the 'berries. You may remember one of the cuts "That's Rock and Roll" as a song that launched Shawn Cassidy's career. There are millions of Eric Carmen fans. If your not you will be after you here this. This is pure melodic pleasure and easily Eric Carmen's best solo album.

but I have to admit that this album was pretty good for a first outing. There honestly isn't a weak song on it, although All By Myself has been wrung out about as much as a pop song can be, and That's Rock And Roll was spoiled for eternity years ago. (If you don't know why, count yourself lucky.) Among the highlights are All By Myself (if you've been living in a cave for years,) Sunrise, Never Gonna Fall In Love Again, and My Girl, but even the requisite cover, On Broadway, benefits from Carmen's vocal prowess. That said, Eric's summation of his Raspberries years, Great Expectations/Everything/No Hard Feelings, is a nicely done tip of the hat to his old band. (Although I can't say I buy the part about No Hard Feelings.)

I SAW ERIC CARMEN OPEN FOR THE GROUP AMERICA WHEN THIS ALBUM FIRST CAME OUT. HE BLEW THEM AWAY.