eruptagain

As it turns out one man and his electric guitar can make quite the pop EP. Simply put, Five Songs About Mistakes is, ironically, pure bliss. And that’s even when the subject matter isn’t the most optimistic. But that’s the beauty of it: the clever word play makes you forget that you’re depressed about the content.

Rife with “why didn’t I think of that” lyrical moments, Eruptagain’s release has plenty of soul-searching, self-deprecating moments that almost all can relate to, as evidenced by the title. In addition to being able to craft good melodies, he is also good with parallelism, given the formulaic song titles. The most noticeable thing about the first track, “Smoke and Mirrors,” is his powerful voice; a sonorous, “I’ve been there before” timbre that instantly pulls you in. Then there are the hooks, of course. There’s plenty of emotion in the simple, yet powerful chord progressions. Sometimes, a full band isn’t needed, it’s in the way. These tracks stand alone.

The hands down, best song on the EP is the third number, “Ins and Outs.” The music in the chorus alone will make you want to listen over and over. But the lyrics are what make it stand out. “If you swear you get out, I’ll do my best to burn it down as we go,” he sings as the tune picks up intensity.

The only curiosity is why there are, in fact, six songs on the disc, in spite of the cleverly worded title advertising, well, five songs. But when that’s the only glitch on an otherwise gem of an offering, you know you have something good in your hands. After listening a few times, it becomes obvious that a good balance has been struck with the songwriting. It’s hooky enough to lure a casual listener, but there’s also enough of a Jeff Buckley air to lend it genuine substance.

While there are many layers to the music, the good thing is that there’s no learning curve. It’s instantly pleasing and doesn’t necessarily take numerous listens to “get it.” There’s no word on a full-length album as of yet, but this slice of pop perfection is more than enough to tide you over. - What's Up! Magazine