CD REVIEW: Eric Hutchinson "Sounds Like This Live 2"

The mark of a great performing songwriter is the ability to strip your songs down to the bare minimum and deliver them in a way that is pure and natural. When a singer/songwriter can achieve that during their live performances, they truly have proven that their talent is for real. When you can make your live performances sound equally as good as your studio recordings, if not better, then your talent cannot be questioned. Eric Hutchinson has achieved this, with only a small arsenal of songs, in his "Sounds Like This Live" EP series. On the second of these releases, he showcases another 5 songs in their purest and rawest form. "OK, It's Alright With Me" leads the pack of tunes with an outstanding live rendition that really showcases the lyrics and the piano pop feel of the song, which as a single on the radio was incredibly well received. Holding us off with live music will only work for so long, as we await his return to the studio, but Eric Hutchinson knows how to make even familiar music new and exciting.