Product Description

This double disc set, West County Drifter is chock full of all the elements that has made Eric a Roots Music star since his 2006 Alligator Records debut: great original songs, soulful guitar playing, right on singing and a tough and tight band. Sessions for this generous 18 track double disc set were recorded where Eric was born and raised in Northern California and his adopted hometown of New Orleans. West County Drifter is a mostly original affair with choice covers. Included are two by Curtis Mayfield, "Find Another Girl" and "It's So Hard To Believe."

Review

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Eric Lindell has been marketed as a blues act, which is fair enough, and that s undoubtedly what Alligator Records figured Lindell was when the label released his first three albums between 2006 and 2009. But Lindell isn t your typical blues guitar ace, and the blues is really only one element of his approach to writing and playing. Possessing a sweet, versatile, and extremely soulful vocal style, Lindell is really closer to someone like Bobby Womack than he is to Buddy Guy or any other modern or contemporary blues-based guitarist who comes to mind, and he sure isn't trying to be Stevie Ray Vaughan. Yeah, he can play the guitar, and yeah, sometimes it s the blues he s playing, but just as often it s full-tilt R&B and soul, complete with horn charts, and this is where Lindell's vocals come into play, because he s a fine singer with a natural feel for phrasing and his singing is joyful, energetic, and full of a wonderful warmth. After leaving Alligator, he put out a couple of albums to sell at gigs, 2010 Cazadero and 2011 s Between Motion and Rest, both of which are combined on this two-disc release from M.C. Records. The two albums fit together seamlessly, and together, they make for Lindells most accessible and striking release yet, with nary a slack track and several that seriously deserve to be heard by a wide audience. Forget the guitar -- this guy can sing. From the first track on the first disc, the wonderful and rollicking Sentimental Love, to the last track on the second disc, the equally wonderful Don t Fret, Lindell delivers a blues-inflected brand of pop-soul that never lets down, including a pair of Curtis Mayfield covers, Find Another Girl and It s So Hard to Believe, and first-class sides like That s Why I m Crying, complete with a delightfully woozy horn section, and the infectious train-shuffle boogie of West Country Drifter, to touch on just some of the high points of this 18-track set. Sure, there is some great guitar work here, but it is Lindells singing that really stands out. He just has that certain something in his voice. It s called soul. --AMG - All Music Guide
Lindell treats each new release, and each song on those releases, as unique, organically-formed creatures. Full of nuance and rich with emotion, his oeuvre is, in a word (or three...), the real deal. --Blurt
The latest from Eric Lindell is another fine collection of tunes that rummages through Lindell's footlocker full of roots styles and grooves (much more interesting, I might add, than sticking to a blues format).
The opener Sentimental Lover mines a rolling train beat and establishes his template for interesting instrumentation -- Rick Ellman on clarinet and Delbert McClinton on harp -- but more importantly, it sets the tone for the entire two discs (not sure what's up with that): a noticeably comfortable and easy-going feel that's a pleasure to listen to.
Cazedro is an easy rock 'n' soul groove reminiscent of the Subdudes while Lindell's slide guitar gives an Allmanesque feel toI Ain't Supposed to.
Lindell's voice also has a bit of the quality of former Thin Lizzy bassist Phil Lynot -- a plus in my book Head High and Peelin mixes New Orleans and reggae and Circle Bar Boogaloo offers up another groove-y shuffle.
In addition to the fact that the entire set is a good listen and, surprisingly, there's no dogs in the pack, it's a pleasure to hear a player who doesn't feel the need to constantly remind you how much or how fast he can play -- everything is in the context of the song. --Charleston Gazette