Eric Hutchinson
If there is an overriding theme to Eric Hutchinson’s career, it is his relentless pursuit of the kind of feel-good music that makes his fans dance and sing while pondering the beauty and humor that comes from fully experiencing life. This journey had come to a crossroads this past year, as the 35 year-old singer/songwriter/performer stripped down his sound, embraced the role of producer, and spent months working on his fourth studio album, Easy Street.
A collection of penetratingly honest songs, Easy Street is a musical snapshot of perseverance and musical maturity brimming with superb melodies and contagious rhythms.
Easy Street is arguably Hutchinson’s most insightful and, in some ways, autobiographical work. In fact, each song on Easy Street is a study in personal, professional and generational divides, from the strikingly confessional “Dear Me” that opens the album to the seemingly airy if not catchy pop of “Lost in Paradise” that speaks to the wanderer in us all. “See my reflection now in all of the trends/in isolation with the words of my friends” he sings with stark resonance in “Bored to Death,” a song that dissects a world view set against personal and satirical introspection. Hutchinson also plays with music biz preconceptions, specifically facing the gnawing guilt over success in “Good Rhythm” or his escaping the shadow of his musical heroes to forge his own unique voice in “Same Old Thing.”
Having had major sales and radio success, touring the world as a headliner as well as with acts such as Kelly Clarkson, Jason Mraz, and OneRepublic Eric has positioned himself to thrive in the music industry’s ever-evolving paradigm. The fiercely independent spirit in which Easy Street came to be has set Eric on a path toward building a devoted audience that he will continually serve with exciting new music and visual content.
“When I was growing up I thought, ‘I’ll never be my heroes’,” he admits. “And with this album I say ‘I don’t want to be my heroes. I want to be me.’”