Eric Contractor

On his debut album, Night Escape, Eric Contractor is a Byronic creature, his gorgeous baritone sweeping through songs of lost love and wee small hours. Even the album cover finds him bathed in dark, moonlight blue, as mysterious as his deeply felt songs.


In person, he looks like Clark Kent's kid brother, thin, gangly, awful young. It is 3pm and the light from the street makes the least mysterious of venues homey, and Eric in a jeans and a shirt is so casual we might well be in his living room. This is a problem but it is not a deadly problem. Eric must realize the incongruity so he shrugs it off and alone on stage with his acoustic, he relaxes into the set.I arrive maybe ten minutes later but within ten minutes, Contractor has brought to live two of his best songs, "Waiting For The Magic" and the relatively bright "Driving Down The Coast".

Though the songs feel built for piano, Contractor only turns to the piano once, instead he finger picks his acoustic guitar with a calm, collegiate warmth strangely at odds with his music.

Does it work? Yeah, but not as well as it will,. Certainly, by the end of the set, a terrific "Only The Lonely" where he somehow manages to reach the high note and sings with enormous self-confidence, and a personal favorite I actually requested it) "Never Never".

Better still is "Prince Of The Night", a self portrait of sorts, hidden in loneliness and bathed in romance, it is a romantic night dream and a self-portrait of sorts. "I'm OK, I'm alright, but I'm lonely here tonight", Contractor claims. It is a mesmerizing song neatly built on a quasi-Flamenco lick and it achieves the suspension of disbelief he seems to be aiming for. The half-lit world of romance and loss at odds with the mid-afternoon and for awhile we buy in to his night-dreams.

Grade: B+ - Rock NYC

“Waiting for the Magic” is, well, magical. The introduction is jazzy, and a bit of a mystery – you just don’t know what wonderful journey you’re about to embark on as the notes flow out of your speakers. A soothing voice by Contractor is a perfect way to compliment the lovely tune. His song, “Kissing up the Rain,” exemplifies his deep voice and his folk-pop potential, and would compliment a movie’s soundtrack because of the way he tells a story.”- Alessandra Malito, Freelance Reporter - Alessandra Malito, Freelance Reporter

If I have to wait much longer for the rest of you to catch up with the plethora and growing fans of the great pianist and otherworldly sing Eric Contractor, I'm gonna lodge a formal complaint.


The guy should have broken indie by now: he is a one man Morrissey with a bit more range and just as much strangeness.

But the good news is we of the plethora get to catch him in the confines of the tiny Rockwood Music Hall (don't know if it's I or II) this Saturday at 3pm.

Rockwood is a stones throw from Mercury Lounge and one of the best rooms around and the thought of Contractor digging into Night Escape, one of my fave albums of 2011, is salivatingly great!!!

I might not make it. I have Aretha on Friday night and Davy Jones on Saturday night and I have to write i between it all. If I can get there, though, I will.

And it doesn't excuse you,. So go and represent and when you brag about how you caught the Roy Orbinson of indie, you won't be lieing. - Rock NYC

The surprise of the year has been Eric Contractor whose debut album Night Escape, is…of immense power and beauty - Rock NYC

Eric Contractor is a true original. All 11 songs are gems, all perfect. It is an amazing achievement and, released April 2011, is immediately one of the best albums of the year - Rock NYC

“Clear as day- Eric Contractor certainly stands out amongst the crowd….incredibly distinctive voice.” - Aquarian Weekly

“I listened to the album, it’s very awesome. I definitely get a mystical vibe. His music sounds like something you would hear on a coffee shop radio station. Simply put, his music is soothing acoustic rock. I thoroughly enjoyed his set.” - Tristate Tunes

"The music of Eric Contractor creates male vocal-led odes to love, longing, and loss that are infused with a romanticism that digs a few layers beneath the surface. There really is no confusing Mr. Contractor with Justin Bieber as to sincerity or passion. Secondly, in mining the wealth of the past and not trying to make it fit an easy, money making formula, this artist has both courage and insight. Our society is in the throes of forced, inevitable and often terrifying change, and Eric’s voice and music offer a safer and more thoughtful past, bringing comfort to this road weary sojourner." - Heroes of Indie Music

"The music of Eric Contractor creates male vocal-led odes to love, longing, and loss that are infused with a romanticism that digs a few layers beneath the surface. There really is no confusing Mr. Contractor with Justin Bieber as to sincerity or passion. Secondly, in mining the wealth of the past and not trying to make it fit an easy, money making formula, this artist has both courage and insight. Our society is in the throes of forced, inevitable and often terrifying change, and Eric’s voice and music offer a safer and more thoughtful past, bringing comfort to this road weary sojourner." - Heroes of Indie Music

“Eric’s songs exhibit the emergence of a strong talent. He is on his way to finding a lyrical style all his own.” – Louis Karchin, Pulitzer Prize nominated composer. - Louis Karchin

“Singer/songwriter Eric Contractor recently released his debut album entitled “Night Escape.” The sound in this album is very cinematic. Eric captures the mood in the opening track with his strong, almost hypnotic voice, while his music swirls in the background. Eric’s deep, baritone vocals bring up comparisons to Johnny Cash on the country sounds of “Never, Never.” Eric puts on his seductive suit with his suave vocals on “Driving Down The Coast.” He then comes back with the up-tempo, Talking Heads sounding “Ain’t No Love.” His voice fits perfectly in the ballad “Prince of the Shadows” as his vocals never overpowers the song. The album finishes with his strongest effort in “Visions of Aphrodite.” - JP's Music Blog

"Lyrics has a cool vibe to it. A nicely poetic feel throughout…first line makes me want to hear more" - Taxi A&R