Eric Harrison's Crash Chorus
Fanwood, New Jersey, United States | SELF
Music
Press
This one grew on me.
Harrison is an Elvis C. disciple who does his role model proud by writing good, economical 3-minute confessions. Like old Declan (and Graham Parker and the rest of the class of '79), Eric Harrison expresses his anger and disillusionment with endless word play, although by the end of the album I was wishing the Crash Chorus would just smash their instruments to relieve all the serious tension.
If this is their first recorded venture it shows promise - strong songwriting, good singing, thoughtful production.
- The Splatter Effect
Eric Harrison "A Little Bit of Sickness" (EHP Records 2005) In this follow up to 1999's 'Breakfast', New Jersey's Eric Harrison has delivered a rough, rugged and organic collection of rock songs. 'The Sweetest Ache' and 'Friendly Town' are well crafted, as can be said of most of the material in this collection. While Harrison clearly favours the heavier numbers, his singing style can sound a little incongruous and nowhere near as convincing as on the quieter, more country orientated material like 'Crying in Your Sleep'. That aside, 'A Little Bit Of Sickness' sits snugly, somewhere between Buffalo Tom and early Soul Asylum. The magnificent cover drawing by Stephanie Natiello is also worthy of mention. - Americana-UK
If you had to categorize Harrison's songs, you might describe them as acoustic-oriented punk death poetry. Not that I want to make light of what he's doing, because I happen to like this collection of dark, sarcastic and serious urban folk tunes. He plays primarily a simple rhythm style on electric guitar, and his melodies are catchy enough for commercial airplay. But it's the lyrics that count here, and Harrison provides a complete lyric sheet as part of the package. Here's a sample of his poetic style:
They're back-slappin' gun-totin' lookin' hard
Comparing the colors of their credit cards
Come from all around to sell the trash they bought
They wanna stop your world 'cause they're not getting off
That's from "Hollow Years." So if you're into pain, anger, and the angst of a black coated poet, this is for you. The guy can write well, sort of like a hybrid of early Dylan, Patti Smith, Roger Waters . . . you know, those depressoids whose songs became appealing on a worldwide scale. Harrison dedicates this tape to Dorie Hagler and Joey Ramone. A very entertaining tape; "and the Band Played 'Freebird'" is really funny and sadly true. - Terrence Mulligan
- The Insider
Discography
Anyone Can Fill Your Shoes - 10 song cassette, 1990
Pathosaurus - 15 song cassette, 1991
Storm Your Revolution - 8 song cassette, 1993
The Serious Cafe - 10 song cassette, 1994
Cutting Edge - 8 song cassette, 1997
Breakfast - 14 song CD, 1999
A Little Bit of Sickness - 10 song CD, 2005
Before Breakfast - 18 song CD, 2007
Salt - iTunes single, 2009
Photos
Bio
The Eric Harrison story begins in December 1988 on a cold and rainy Sunday night in London. Scores of pasty Kings College students have filled the Phoenix and Firkin pub to witness the debut of their nervous American classmate. It's been a while since the last Don McLean revival tour and Eric's British peers are excited to hear a genuine Yankee folksinger serve up "American Pie." Little did they know he'd rather eat glass.
Sixty minutes and fifteen originals later Our Hero had completely alienated his audience and forfeited any chance of bedding an English lass with the aphrodisiac strains of "Sugar Mountain." But a songwriter was born.
Upon returning to Princeton University in 1990 Eric began performing his original material throughout the tri-state area. In 1990 Eric formed the Crash Chorus and recorded Anyone Can Fill Your Shoes, a ten song cassette (Hey, it was 1990!) that garnered positive reviews in local and national press.
Over the next eight years Eric obtained a law degree from Georgetown University, began a career as a civil defense attorney in New Jersey, honed his performing skills and released four more critically-acclaimed collections of original material: Pathosaurus, Storm Your Revolution!, The Serious Cafe and Cutting Edge.
In 2000 Breakfast was served. The debut CD contains fourteen songs -- eight remixed favorites from past releases and six completely new tracks. Recorded and mixed by Steve Evetts at New Jersey's Trax East Studios, Breakfast was the band's most fully realized project to date.
In April 2005 the YES Network used "Opening Day" in "Pride, Power and Pinstripes," their special on the 2005 New York Yankees. The team went on to rack up their worst April record since 1944. This we attribute to the network's decision to use only 30 seconds of the song while the credits rolled, as opposed to playing the entire song with video of the Crash Chorus rocking 55,000 fans at Yankee Stadium. (Don't underestimate the power of Photoshop.)
In May 2005 Eric completed and released "A Little Bit of Sickness", a collection of 11 new recordings engineered and mixed by Eric Kvortek at Trax East Studios. We think it's a minor masterpiece. (But what the hell do "we" know --"we" are Eric sitting at his computer in his ratty boxers dreaming of stardom while ignoring his two year old daughter's cries for milk!)
The music: Literate pop, clever and passionate. "Exhibits the strengths of Elvis Costello and Bob Dylan" -- The Georgetown Review . . . "Original lyrics which border on genius" -- Option . . . "Acoustic-oriented punk death poetry" -- The Insider . . . "Strong songwriting, good singing, thoughtful production" . . . The Splatter Effect . . . "Clever, passionate lyrics and a melodic, catchy, sound" -- The Sentinel . . . "Tight pop-folk gems bristling with wry sarcasm and desperate longing . . . radiant with more incandescent moments than most songwriters can muster in a career" -- Georgetown Weekly
By day Eric practices law as a trial attorney at Methfessel & Werbel in beautiful Rahway, New Jersey. By night he performs throughout the tri-state area, both as a solo act and with the Crash Chorus.
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