Music Review // Eric Harrison "Dear John"

https://open.spotify.com/album/7i8eamDBUHPzgjnpXS4rfN?si=TaLr9zypTxqWUZCtFNe4ow&nd=1

The very first guitar sounds you'll hear on the "Dear John" EP remind me of Johnny Cash.  Throughout these five songs, there will continue to be elements of Johnny Cash and that rebel country music on the whole, but there is also just some other rock on the softer side within these songs as well, something like James Taylor.

"Cougar Jenny" is an interesting song because it is about a boy who is three years old mixing it up with a six year old girl.  Eric Harrison sings from his point of view while Simi Stone joins in to sing from the perspective of Jenny.  It's a harmless little song about falling in love early on in life and the way it tells a story reminds me a bit of Soul Asylum.  I've always just really enjoyed these songs which tell tales.

With a banjo solo this EP takes on more of a country sound.  "Hoover Dam" has those acoustics and what I think is a xylophone.  "Live Before You Die" is an acoustic ballad with a powerful message.  No matter how many times and in how many different ways it is said, I don't think that idea of everyone dying but not everyone living can ever be overstated.

These songs have lyrics which are going to make you pay attention to them and I like that about them.   The music itself falls somewhere between the softer side of rock, which is okay, and the harder side of country.   The way it blends creates a sound which would include fans of both and hopefully also bring in new fans because of how it just feels so genre-defying.