Richard X. Heyman

“Though thoroughly modern and fresh in its sonic approach, Basic Glee offers glorious echoes of a shining moment when rock music was reaching towards the glee of greatness on a daily basis...Richard is an artist driven by more than the search for a hit – he’s someone who’s personally obsessed and intimately connected with the power of rock & roll in our lives. Music is more than a career to this guy – it’s a lifelong passion. And that’s why his blood is all over these tracks...when it comes to those priceless seconds of musical pleasure brought to us by a true rock artist like Richard X. Heyman, glee is not simply basic. This sort of glee is downright infectious.” - Contributing Editor Rolling Stone

“Basic Glee is the most tuneful and soulful set yet from this ought-be-a-household-name phenom. Heyman plays almost all the parts, and rarely has one-man-band multitracking melded so seamlessly into such a joyous tapestry of power pop. The interweaving vocal parts are Byrds-like, the bass is all McCartney-esque melodicism, and the savvy songwriting evokes vintage Todd Rundgren.”
- Stereo Review Sound & Vision

“Heyman once again shows his knack for...melodies that sound timeless. Heyman employs an agreeable retro-rock stance that soaks up the ?60s influences of The Beatles, The Who, The Hollies, The Zombies and the other like-minded recruits who stormed these shores during the first wave of the British Invasion. It’s a well-trod formula -- the soaring harmonies, jangly guitar lines, effervescent melodies, and eternally sunny sentiments -- but Heyman manages to make this familiar fare sound fresh each time out. Heyman heads a short list of power-pop artists who have managed to transcend their influences with their individual imprint. How does one top perfection? Simply by making greatness his norm.”
- Lee Zimmerman

“In this crowded musical age, so many artists claim influence by pop cornerstones like The Beatles, Beach Boys and Kinks that reviews which use those bands as a point of comparison are essentially meaningless. But not in this case. Prodigiously talented -- Heyman is offering yet another melodic masterpiece that will leave fans of the aforementioned groups on Cloud Nine. Anyone who loves pop music should fall under the spell of songs as great as disc-opener Everywhere She Goes and the majestic ballad When Evening Comes. The other dozen tunes offer no drop in quality, each one a capsule of classic AM radio sounds made fresh by Heyman’s intelligence and love for his craft. Any year that features a new Heyman album is bound to be a good one. If you haven’t discovered this American treasure yet, treat yourself immediately.”
- Charleston WV Daily Mail

“If just 1% of the people who gobbled up the Beatles 1 in 2000 took a chance on Richard X. Heyman, he would be a force to be reckoned with. Basic Glee is Heyman’s blissful pop synthesis of Beatles/Byrds jump-and-jangle mingled with a harmonic sense that matches the best of the Beach Boys and the Hollies assembled with Todd Rundgren’s peerless DIY abilities. Anyone of the crystalline pop gems here, particularly the effusive Everywhere She Goes, the gorgeous When Evening Comes, and the energized Broken Umbrella, would clearly have been at home on any radio format in the 60's. And the Beatles and the Byrds would have had one more friendly rival whose work would have them looking over their shoulders.”
- Harp Magazine

* * * * * Best of the Month, February ‘98. “Each song on this perfect little pearl of a record has something to commend it. In a better world you’d be hearing it daily on the radio and seeing it prominently displayed in the corporate record chains...his songs unfurl with a minor-key, folk-rockish urgency. A fount of feeling that’s rare in this age of cynical self-containment fairly gushes from him.” - Stereo Review

“Heyman is at the height of his creative powers, which he demonstrates on the ultra-solid, infectious Cornerstone. Cornerstone is full of memorable compositions...Some major label should pick up this album, while some smart non-writing artists should search here for covers. Somebody ought to be having hits with songs this haunting.” - Rolling Stone

“Every song on this LP is a winner; it's really hard to pick a favorite! With Heyman's beautiful voice, memorable melodies and top-notch musicianship, Cornerstone reminds us of a time long past, before rock & roll had splintered into so many ‘formats’. Breathtaking!” - Album Network

“In Richard X. Heyman, we have an artist who can do it all: write (there is no more consistent tunesmith in pop), sing (a classic voice, clearly the result of someone who’s been weaned on all the right records), demonstrate musical virtuosity (plays about every damn instrument well!), and, yes, produce those elusive sounds in his head on tape (every song is filled with wonderful instrumental nuances which would make Brian Wilson proud). This record is an embarrassment of riches -- Rock and Roll just doesn’t get any better than this. There may be no other artist who better connects words and music to convey emotions...With Cornerstone, Richard X. Heyman has taken his art to an even higher level than before, kicking down every musical door in his way. Buy this record if you still care about the things that made you like Rock and Roll in the first place.”
- Amplifier Magazine

"He captures the freshness and exuberance of '60's based pop and exploits its expressive possibilities in songs that can crystallize an emotion, sketch a small story, or frame a clash of conflicting feelings. Any song form broad and flexible enough to encompass feelings and ideas like these must have classic, timeless expressive qualities."
- Los Angeles Times