Craig Erickson Project
"Shine"
Grooveyard Records

Must confess I’d not heard of Craig Erickson before, but news that ex-Riverdogs singer Rob Lamothe and the ubiquitous Glenn Hughes both guested on his fifth solo album whetted my appetite. I wasn’t disappointed because ‘Shine’ is full of tough, gritty blues, and stacked with layer upon layer of juicy guitar. Erickson is fully aware of his musical heritage, yet despite his love of icons like Tommy Bolin and a prodigious use of his Wah-Wah pedal, he’s rarely guilty of overplaying. Lamothe crops up early on the first of five tracks with ‘Familiar’, a carefully crafted, hook-conscious pop-rocker, and the Project never look back. The album’s 13 songs include two cover versions – Hendrix’s ‘Angel’ and a convincing romp through Bolin’s ‘Wild Dogs’ (from 1975’s ‘Teaser’) that features the drums of Johnnie Bolin and the late Deep Purple’s soul brother Hughes on vocals. ‘Shine’ is perfect for those unfortunate Sunday afternoons when you ’ve just got back from the pub, the missus is ignoring you and only Man U are on the box. Pick it up from: www.grooveyardrecords.com, or call: 001 716 723 8351.

---Dave Ling
Classic Rock Magazine
England