Wreckless Eric - amERICa
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 5 / 2 / 2016

Label:
Fire Records
Format: CD
intro
Excellent new album from 70's cult star Wreckless Eric, which combines punk pop with Americana
It's not always true that happy and loving couples are boring. Proof comes from Wreckless Eric and his wife Amy Rigby (ex-Last Roundup, Shams) who follow up their 2012 album, 'A Working Museum', with an Americana album which contains a touch of English seashore soul-searching and is one that they can justly feel proud of. Homie Eric makes a mighty return as the English North Sea East Coast local fisherman's son that he once was, and combines together on 'amERICa' about two lifespans of strumming indie punk, country & western and folk music. Witty comments are the underlying strength of 'amERICa', and, in loving mode, the album captures both Stiff Records' punk pop spirit as well as the proverbial provincialism inherent to today's Americana. Amy Rigby acts as Wreckless Eric's sidekick and, even although 'amERICa' lacks a heartfelt little anthem such as '1983' from 'A Working Museum', 'it sounds ever so sophisticated, well-balanced, wise and articulate. It is almost as if Alex Chilton has been born again but more happily. Rejoice that Wreckless Eric found his Amy and that he never became that Alex Chilton. Transformed from slightly sour to rather sweet, Wreckless Eric has ripened. His selection of song subjects follows the course of this maturation, since he more or less sums up in order on 'amERICa' his initial success, 'Ziggy Stardust' and '2001: A Space Odyssey' reflections on 'Space Age', and his current and relentless porch style.
Track Listing:-
1 Several Shades of Green2 Sysco Trucks
3 White Bread
4 Transitory Thing
5 Days of My Life
6 Boy Band
7 Property Shows
8 Up the Fuselage
9 Space Age
10 Life Eternal
11 Have a Great Day
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/wrecklesseric/http://wrecklesseric.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thewrecklesseric/
https://twitter.com/thewreckeric
Label Links:-
https://twitter.com/firerecordingshttps://www.facebook.com/Firerecords
http://www.firerecords.com/
https://firerecords.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/fire_records/
https://www.youtube.com/user/FirerecordsUK
interviews |
Interview (2024) |
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Steve Miles talks to Wreckless Eric about his recently republished, aptly titled memoir, ‘A Dysfunctional Success,’ and the man behind it. |
Interview (2023) |
reviews |
Transience (2019) |
![]() |
Ramshackle but enjoyable new album from punk hero Wreckless Eric who refuses to become a pensioner |
Bungalow Hi (2004) |
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