Eric Wilson and Empty Hearts

From songs about President Andrew Jackson to a Civil War battle ballad, Eric Wilson and Empty Hearts use vivid storytelling and introspective emotional songs to create a refreshing sound that falls somewhere between alternative country and indie rock. Though they are not easily qualified by genre, their music is unique and distinguishable. Upon breaking into the Nashville music scene a little over a year ago, EW&EH quickly made a name for themselves and gained the respect and admiration of many.Lead singer Eric Wilson’s undeniably solid songwriting is the anchor of the band’s success, but bassist and brother Matt Wilson, drummer Jacob Wetsell, guitarist and keyboard player Paul Redel and pedal steel player Justin Schipper elevate the band to a higher level. Their self-produced debut album Quarterfuse, set to release in early April, was mixed by Grammy-nominated Jason Lehning, who has worked with Mindy Smith, Guster and David Mead. The band consulted with producer/musicians Kent Wells (Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers) and Mark Moffat (Keith Urban) throughout the making of the album. It was recorded at Gravity Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, where Eric Wilson was asked to record a duet (demo) with Dolly Parton called “Holding Everything”.EW&EH have become an area favorite, playing various venues in Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana, as well as appearing at the 2008 RedGorilla Music Festival in Austin, Texas. They played the second annual Next Big Nashville Music Festival in 2007 and were asked to perform at the 2008 Americana Folk Festival, where heavy-hitters Patty Griffin and Mindy Smith have played in the past.The band has a clear singer/songwriter background with melody-driven arrangements and popular subject matter including love and loss. However, they maintain originality through strong narrative songwriting and added elements of Americana and Traditional Country. “I like songs,” says Eric Wilson. “I just love what songs do to you. They connect with you on such an amazing level and make you listen to them over and over and over again.”While the subject matter of Quarterfuse ranges from longing to love, one thing remains consistent: every song paints a vivid picture from beginning to end, taking its listener to the exact place and time of the unfolding event. “I really like telling stories,” says Wilson. “Either I am brutally honest or I’m getting away and being something completely different. There’s really no in between.”The song “Quarterfuse” unmasks the intense details of a Civil War battle. “It’s one of my favorite songs on the record,” he says. “I just like its grayness, its darkness. I feel like the darkness kind of goes with the song.”The more pensive “Kentucky, You’re My Lover” lays out the intricacy of being caught between the past and the future. “It’s being stuck in between my heritage and my dreams and passions,” he says. “It’s a playful song. It kind of evokes elements of lovers battling for your affections, but it’s really about your upbringing versus getting away from it.”Simple country life consistently appears throughout the album as well. “There is definitely a rural kind of wide open spaces feel to the album,” says Kentucky native Wilson. “I guess that’s just something you can’t get away from. It’s just kind of part of my life so it comes out in songs.”EW&EH was officially founded in September of 2006 after Eric Wilson, Matt Wilson and Jacob Wetsell transitioned from a previous project to a more mature sound. Upon adding Justin Schipper, the band solidified its new identity. Then, while Eric was working a temporary job, he met Paul Redel and the two immediately hit it off. When Redel joined EW&EH he brought a fresh perspective and a new set of ears that energized the band to finish the record. “Everyone was really excited and passionate about working on the album,” says Eric Wilson. “We didn’t really once hire anyone to come in there that wasn’t invested in the project. Almost everybody that came in cared and really was involved with it.”The passion is apparent when listening to the album from the first note of “Quaterfuse” to the last haunting sound of “Kentucky, You’re My Lover”. “When it was over, it really hit me that we would never make a record like this one again,” says Wilson. “We took so much time on this, and it was produced by us as a collective effort. That is what makes this record so unique.”A Biography By Mallory Smith(www.strikefile.com/myspace) Click here to buy quarterfuse!
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