Customer Reviews

Sounds Like This

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's a shame no one else has reviewed this CD yet. This is a great debut (of sorts) by an up and coming artist. The Amazon description lists Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and Ben Folds as influences.....among others. I would say all of these are evident in this CD. My favorite song is "You Don't Have To Believe Me", but the entire CD is very solid from beginning to end. It is a little on the short side (not sure of the actual length, but it seems to go by quickly when listening to it), however when a lot of artists make longer albums with a number of filler songs......it is nice to find someone who just put together a bunch of good songs without the filler. If you like Ben Folds, Jason Mraz and others in that genre of music.......along with a good amount of soul(that Stevie Wonder influence), lots of different instruments(all used very well) and some very well-written songs, Eric Hutchinson is for you! I actually like him more than Folds (Hutchinson is a better singer) and Mraz (Jason seems to be lacking something that I can't put my finger on....it may be that "soul" element--he has some good songs, but they get a little stale after awhile for me). I've listened to this CD a number of times and it is still spending a lot of time in my CD player.

A note about my review of 4 stars. I see TONS of 5 star reviews on Amazon, but there can't be THAT many 5 star albums out there. To me, 5 stars needs to be reserved for albums like Kind of Blue, Highway 61 Revisited, The White Album, etc.......albums that could at least be in the discussion for the best of the year if not the best of an era. This is a great CD, but I don't think it will be considered one of the best of the year......one of the best debuts? Maybe........

This album is so good that I have shared it with friends, family and told acquaintances about it. It makes me happy and there is not a bad song on the album. It makes me look forward to his next album. If you don't dance around your kitchen to it, you died and didn't know it!

I think it's great when a new artist is able to release their first album on their own label which gives them the freedom to put out something they are proud of without pressure from the record execs. Eric's deal with Maverick fell through, so he recorded "Sounds Like This" on his own label "Let's Break Records." [...] In case you haven't heard, Daryl Hall has a great new web show from his home and features some great new artists, Eric being the most recent. Eric's music is infused with lots of soul (reminiscent of Stevie Wonder). Eric and Daryl perform a funky-soulful rendition of the Rufus & Chaka Khan hit "Tell Me Something Good" along with some of Eric's cuts off his album and a couple of Hall & Oates goodies. It makes me optimistic about today's music when I hear talented new artists like Eric that are putting out new stuff that has that "old school" sound! Looking forward to more from Eric!!

When I need a refocus time at work, I put this on and it gets me going to complete the task.

Infectious pop with a soulful groove propelled by tambourine and a dang good bass player! Excellent vocals and great songwriting. Most of the album is uptempo... only a couple of downers (but that rounds it out). And the low price? Wow. You won't find better songs with an enjoyable performance. Highly recommended.

I got this CD for the song "Rock and Roll." After I heard it on the radio, I fell in love with the song. I wasn't disappointed at all after I listened to it, like I am with many CDs in which I only know of one song. I love the entire CD because every song has a meaning, and the style from song to song gives the listener a good variety. This is the best CD I have purchased in many, many years.

OK, this is a first for me. For those who do not have this album, bypass one pizza night this month and add this one to your collection...well, it may not make it to the shelf. This is one of the best sounding albums I have ever heard. I stumbled across Eric's music through yahoo music and was hooked immediately. Each song brings with it influences that go together so well. I hear artists like Maroon 5, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Traffic, Queen melding together. I may be way off but that's where my musical mind goes and I'm sure yours will wander too. Apparently, this album took five years to hit the market and I pray it dosen't take five more for a follow up.

I predict wonderful things in Eric's future. I saw him on the Letterman show a few weeks ago, and that's why I ordered the CD. I love every single track on it. He reminds me of an early Elton John (his writing skills), and the clever lyrics are so contemporary and quirky. I can't say enough about him- I hope he is getting lots of play. He looks so different than you would expect from his sound.....too cute, very waspy looks, but sounds very "chubby checkerish"!

I've had Eric's new CD for a week or more - and been playing it a lot - but held off posting my review until today because I had a chance to see him perform some of the songs live last night. He's as good in person - with support from just his drummer and bassist (who plays keyboards when Eric is on guitar rather than on keyboards). There's even a guitar solo on the song "It Hasn't Been Long Enough" where the sax is on the CD.

But back to the CD. The hooks are great and one listen to "Rock and Roll" will grab you. Check out the youtube video of this song to get a sample. The visuals are silly but LISTEN to the song.

This is the kind of pop music that is light and catchy and will appeal to a wide age range. At his gig there were fans from 16 to 60. I agree 100% with the three other reviews posted here before this one.

My only suggestion for the CD - but obviously too late to have happen - is that I'd have liked a lyric sheet, especially for "You Don't Have To Believe Me". Eric's music is catchy but, on this track in particular, the words are hard to decipher.

I'll certainly be waiting for the follow-up to this disc and hope he'll come by again with a longer performance. (He was opening for Missy Huggins, who I felt was not the perfect match for his music.)

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

I absolutely love this album by Eric Hutchinson. It's pop rocky and fun without being too saccharine; in fact some of the lyrics are pretty profound. Whenever I'm zipping around my iPod and I'm not quite sure what to listen to, I'll likely settle on Sounds Like This, even after all these years.

I was about to list favorites, but realized that they're all kind of my favorite in their own way. If I had to choose a few, I'd say Outside Villanova, Oh!, and of course, the single Rock & Roll.