Posted on: November 3, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Cliff Eberhardt has been one of those individuals that has been in the periphery for a number of years, but has never gotten the fame or recognition that ey deserves. With “500 Miles”, I feel that there is enough present to bring in an entirely new fan base that may yet catapult Eberhardt to stardom. The album starts out with “500 Miles”, a song that tells just as much with the wide-open silent spaces as it does with the emotive vocals and the equally poignant guitar work present. “Have A Little Heart” is the next track on “500 Miles”, and it changes things up slightly to allow Eberhardt’s vocals to take a dominant position. In doing that, there is a little more pop feeling to the track that will allow a wider swath of listeners to appreciate what ey is doing here.

Nowhere here does Eberhardt sell out eir ideals, though: the pacing is delightful, while there is a dusty honesty present that calls forth both Bob Dylan and even a cowboy tradition. “Lonelyville” may just be the best track on “500 Miles” due to the soul that is brought to the track. Hints of Garth Brooks, Bryan Adams, and even Elvis can be heard as Eberhardt boldly forges through and crafts eir own style. “When The Leaves Begin To Fall” is a perfect track for this portion of the year, as it provides all the warmth that is needed to ensure that listeners can make it through the rapidly-falling temperatures of the climate.

It is this hope and lightness that showcases the diversity of styles that one can find on “500 Miles, no matter how much of Eberhardt’s corpus they have heard in the past. Over twenty years in the game and it seems like Eberhardt has the skill necessary to continue changing, evolving all the time, and in “500 Miles”, one may just have heard the crowning achievement in Eberhardt’s resume. Pick this album up today.

Top Tracks: Have A Little Heart, I Want To Take You Home

Rating: 8.1/10

Cliff Eberhardt – 500 Miles: The Blue Rock Sessions / 2009 Red House / 12 Tracks / http://www.cliffeberhardt.net / http://www.redhouserecords.com

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