--New Orleans Times Picayune
Eric Lindell is a natural. With impressive guitar chops, a worn, smoldering voice and a rocking rhythmic sensibility, his jam-friendly style converts blues purists and dyed-in-the-wool R&B fans as well as the tattooed and pierced crowd. His voice recalls Stax and Motown-era soul, with a laid-back, hipster charisma. Eric Lindell is poised for a breakout. He has turned heads everywhere he's gone, almost instantly becoming the talk of the town wherever his musical journey has taken him. --An Honest Tune
Born in 1969, Lindell is an "old soul" from California reinventing New Orleans R&B. He has a cool, genuine old school aura that is both natural and refreshing. Eric does his own thing in his own way and at his own pace. His melodic sensibility and fresh approach are most impressive. -OffBeat
California-born, New Orleans-schooled singer/songwriter/vocalist Eric Lindell is a roots rocker with dozens of original songs that combine soul-shaking rhythm & blues, reggae grooves, swamp pop and blues. Lindell is a fan favorite in his northern California turf and his adopted home of New Orleans (where he was featured on the cover of OffBeat magazine and performed on the main stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival). He is accomplished on guitar, harmonica, keyboards and bass, and has performed with some of the Crescent City's top musicians as well as some of the jam band community's biggest names (including members of Galactic). The winner of the 1999 John Lennon Songwriting Competition for his song Kelly Ann, Lindell is now ready to bring his rough-hewn voice and memorable original songs to the rest of the music-loving world with the release of his Alligator Records debut, CHANGE IN THE WEATHER.
CHANGE IN THE WEATHER will delight and surprise music fans hungry for an extraordinary, original artist who is just getting ready to explode. Lindell's songs are cliche-free, completely original and yet have an instant familiarity to them. The laid-back grooves and hook-laden melodies hint of 1970's-era Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen, but are not throwbacks as much as they are powerful, rootsy, thought-provoking and danceable contemporary songs. Traces of Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles and Sly And The Family Stone can be found in Eric's originals, with foot-stomping grooves coming around every corner and horns punching in all the right places. Guests on the CD include War drummer Harold Brown, Ivan Neville and Galactic.. finest players, including Harold Brown and drummer Johnny Vidacovich, often joined him on stage. Galactic bassist Rob Mercurio began sitting in as well, and word of Lindell's immense talents began spreading around the city. Some of the city's biggest stars began showing up at his gigs, embracing this fresh California kid's funky music. Some of his famous friends and admirers include Branford Marsalis, The Neville Brothers, John Scofield, Chris Chew (North Mississippi Allstars), Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead) and Wally Ingram (David Lindley, Stockholm Syndrome). According to Lindell, "The fact that these amazing people are so complimentary to me and my music means the world to me."
Lindell's live shows draw as much attention as his material. His unstoppable grooves, rocking, deeply rooted, original songs and excellent musicianship always fill the dance floor. With the release CHANGE IN THE WEATHER, Lindell and his band will tour heavily, giving the rest of the country the chance to discover for themselves what a growing number of people already know: Eric Lindell is a musician bursting at the seams with talent, with enough original songs and inventive grooves to carry him as far as he chooses to go.