Good Things

Performer: Epic Soundtracks
Producer: Epic Soundtracks
Distributor: E1 Distribution (USA)

Notes: Epic Soundtracks: Epic Soundtracks (vocals, guitar, piano, organ, tambourine, hand claps); Kevin Junior (guitar, hand claps, background vocals). The passing of Epic Soundtracks in November of 1997 left a real void in the hearts of his fans, and the release of Good Things is an occasion of both immense joy and real sadness. Joy for how wonderful the songs are and sadness because they are the last we will ever hear. Thanks to his brother's diligent and loving efforts, Good Things is an unexpected gift full of warmth and soul. The album is made up of demos Epic and Kevin Junior (of the Chamber Strings) recorded on a four-track recorder in Epic's bedroom in November of 1996. Destined for the fourth album he never recorded, the songs are intimate and unassuming, the most upbeat (for the most part and keeping in mind that most of his tunes are about as bleak as can be), melodic, and powerful of his career. Ballads were Epic's strong suit and there are many here that rate among his finest, like "I Do Declare," "Sooner or Later," the near gospel "Roll the Stone," and "The House on the Hill." The album also delivers some pleasant surprises like the strum-along stomper "You Better Run," the lilting "Maybe You're Right," and the acoustic guitar ballad "Cry a Tear," which sounds like a classic Nikki Sudden track. Due to the nature of the recordings, the sound of the album is mostly just piano, guitar, and Epic's voice with the occasional vocal harmonies from Junior, who proves to be a very supportive musical presence. You don't really miss the extra level of sheen that recording in a real studio would have given the songs; instead you can treasure the intimacy and looseness involved. And you can thank Nikki Sudden for rescuing this album. It is a heartbreakingly important addition to the legacy of a major talent who left way too soon as well as a damn good record. ~ Tim Sendra

Uncut (p.104) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[I]t's a raggedly charming swan song." Mojo (Publisher) (p.126) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[I]t's a remarkable achievement....A superlative ballad singer, Eric had one of the great voices: warm and very English, backing himself with Beach Boys harmonies."

As one of the founding members of 1970s U.K. art-punks the Swell Maps, Epic Soundtracks' musical legacy was firmly in place from the start. And although he was involved in music throughout the 1980s--as the drummer for These Immortal Souls and Crime and the City Solution--it wasn't until the mid '90s that Soundtracks began recording his own solo albums. Miles away from the Maps' inspired cacophony, his three albums were marked by a keen sense of pop songcraft and a melancholic sense of atmosphere. The emotionally troubled artist died in his sleep of unknown causes in 1997 at age 38. His brother, rocker Nikki Sudden, died less than a decade later.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25