Customer Reviews

Swimming in Champagne

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

On his first album, Eric Heatherly treads on musical ground that's been visited many times before. There's ample slices of roadhouse stomp, honkytonk twang, aching ballads and even a dash of rockabilly in the final cut. It all may sound kind of familiar, but thanks to Heatherly's conviction and Keith Steagall's production, it also sounds very good. The ballads, though never haunting, are always engaing. The uptempo numbers, which Heatherly excels at, rock with more conviction than most of the feeble country music that's being pumped out by Nashville's major labels. This cd may not be an essential country recording, but it is a helluva lot of fun and bears repeated listening. All in all it's a very impressive debut for Heatherly.

I bought the CD just today. I did play a couple of the hits and they are what the country needs instead of another crossover singer like Faith Hill and Shania Twain. If I would have to choose the one song to get is the New version of the Statler Brothers Classic "Flowers on the Wall!" It is worth the price of the album alone.

I can't decide whether I'm most ipressed by Heatherly's guitar playing, vocals, lyrics or musical sensibilities. I recognized his mug from surfing past The Nashville Network, which I rarely watch, because I'm not a bubblegum-country fan. Somehow, between CNBC and Bravo, I kept seeing the same final 30 seconds of this cat's rendition of "Flowers on the Wall," the addictive Statler Brothers' tune, repopularized by the film Pulp Fiction. Heatherly handles his rendition to perfection, retaining the original tempo and melody, while adding a country twang to complement his Texarcana drawal. Fortunately, this is Heatherly's only cover on "Swimming in Champagne." Fortunate, because this kid can write. He's also a great guitar slinger, with nods to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brian Setzer and Mark Knopfler, each of whom he credits in his extensive liner notes. At the risk of denying Heatherly credit as a fresh country musician/singer/song writer, this dude's all over the map with his Fender guitars. From bee-bop and rocakabily to elcectric funk and Southern blues, Heatherly is not your typcial pigeon-hold Country-Pop wannabee. He doesn't wear cowboy boots, or a ridiculous black Stetson, and he doesn't rely on a studio-seasoned lead guitarist to back him up. To paraphrase his own lyrics, Heatherly didn't make the rules, he just breaks 'em. "Wrong Five O'Clock" is a witty, fast-paced tribute to acoustic country western roots, with an electric-outlaw flavor, while "Didn't Mean a Thing" leads with a Neil Young-like, grungy sort of guitar intro. Heatherly's vocal range gets tested on the ballad, "One Night," and although he pushes his cords to their limits, he's mature enough to know when to hold back. "Why Don't Cha" conjures up a tribute to Rodney Crowell, one of the few artists Heatherly does not thank in his liner notes. On "She's So Hot," Heatherly manages to combine a jazzy acoustic-bass riff with a 50s-style swing beat, and he pulls it all together with simple country lyrics like, "She's got legs for a country mile." Tell you what, this kid is hot.

This is an auspicious debut for an artist and his band who have been laboring in the trenches of Nashville's clubs for the years it takes to be able to play as tight as they do on this cd. The songs are surprisingly strong. Their melodies are catchy. The lyrics are clever without being trite, unlike most music coming out of Nashville these days. If you want to hear a guitarist who is in complete command of his instrument, it is Heatherly on this album. He delivers a wide variety of really nice licks that back up the songs superbly. His vocals are also strong, and his falsetto on the title cut is truly lovely. This cd has tremendous crossover potential, as several of the songs are as much rock n roll as country. I suspect this cd will spawn a number of successful singles--several of the songs are capable of appealing to a wide audience. And that will be a boon to anyone who listens to country radio, as it will provide a quality break to the schlock that makes up too much of the playlists of today's country stations. He just might be The Next Big Thing. If so, remember you heard it here first.

I say that because when I saw country fading past us, I knew there had to be a singer out there that would attract us, but have a sense of Hank in him. We get more though. I can sorely miss favorites like Roy Orbison and Hank Williams when I listen to this album. Heatherly has a voice that goes with today that will make you definately buy this cd and more too come.

This is, without a doubt, one of the best albums of 2001. I'm loathe to take this rollicking debut out of my CD player! I am not sure that the "country" moniker fits Heatherly's style -- "rockabilly" is closer to the truth -- and to be honest, most die-hard country fans probably won't like it, but rock 'n rollers certainly will. A fine addition to any CD collection, "Swimming in Champagne" is destined to become a must-have in years to come.

The other day I decided to compile all of my favorite songs onto a cassette that I could play in my car. While choosing the songs I realized it would be more time efficent to just go out and buy "Swimming In Champagne" in cassette form. Every song on it is now one of my favorites. "Someone Else's Cadillac" is a great, up-tempo and funny kick-off to the album. "I Just Break 'Em" shows that Eric is a real rockabilly artist and not just a cookie cutter. I don't know what to say about "Didn't Mean A Thing," but it's one of the best on the album. I can't really describe it, it's so good. "One Night" is a beautiful and haunting ballad. "Why Doncha?" is reminescent of the 50's. (In a good way.) Of course, you've already heard "Flowers On The Wall" so I don't need to tell you it's great. "Let Me" is a fun song. "Swimming In Champagne" is the best on the album. It's beautiful, well-written, haunting, and memorable, all with a pitch-perfect delivery from Eric. I would pay the full price just for this song. "Wrong 5 O'Clock" returns to "Cadillac" territory, in a humorous song about a guy who really screws up. You'll see what I mean. "Freedom Chain" is a great song, and finally "She's So Hot" is awesome. It's not quite country, it's not quite rock n roll, but it is a hot song that hooks you in from the first blast of that power chord and doesn't let you go until the end. Kind of like the album itself. So, turn up your volume all the way when you play this one. If it doesn't get you dancing nothing will.

This CD is a MUST for music lovers of all kinds. It's not simply a "country" CD...has so much more to offer. I am sure you will not be dissappointed. This one never comes out of the CD player in the car...the hubby, kids and myself sing to the songs over and over again! Candy for your ears! Enjoy!!

Heatherly's rockabilly-tinged honky-tonk debut was probably no surprise for the hundreds of fans who turned up for his weekly gig at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville. But for those of us not lucky enough to haunt lower-Broadway's clubs, the assuredness of his debut, and the abandon with which Mercury lets the guitar slinger go at it, are pleasant, unexpected surprises.

With his sideburns, neo-50s shirts and two-tone shoes, Heatherly fits the retro mold carved out by fellow lower-Broadway players, BR-549. But where the latter stretch back to the 40s, Heatherly's sound reaches back to the 50s hybrid of country and blues. His green Stratocaster (the only survivor of a near-fatal car-wreck) adds a twangy sting that's equal parts rockabilly and honky-tonk roadhouse, with blues influences (both guitar and vocal) from Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Ten originals, including power-ballads, two-step shuffles and blues-rockers, are complemented by a tunefully updated, rhythm-heavy remake of the Statler Brothers' "Flowers on the Wall." Several of the originals have a pop melodicism that brings to mind Rodney Crowell, and only the crossover ballad, "One Night," replete with piano and strings, gives in to the current Nashville tide. Perhaps the label thought it could break "One Night" if the upbeat tracks failed.

While none of the originals live up to the brilliance of the Statler's cover, Heatherly shows a talent for writing, picking and singing. Unlike so many of the clones churned out by the Nashville music factory, he has an actual vision for his music, and, more importantly, the ability to get a major label to share it.

3-1/2 stars, if Amazon allowed fractional ratings.

This is a pretty good C.D. and I don't even like country music! Specificly I like "Flowers on the Wall". This song was done by three generations of musicians and I think this one is the best. So if you like soft rock, with a pinch of country, this C.D. is the one for you.