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Eric Openshaw Band, This Stage (Skinny Guy Sound) 

Fresh-faced Eric Openshaw slings the Strat over his shoulder on the inside of his CD cover like a younger John Mayer, and his songwriting is reminiscent of the singer/would-be comedian with loose rock rhythms and a modicum of jazz and funk. Just swap Mayer’s Georgia drawl with a Utah inflection—a charming delivery that adds to the album’s appeal. This disc is one of the most polished and assured local debuts in quite a while. And he adds some intensity in his singing that has been lacking in Mayer’s recent efforts.

The arrangements are a bit spare—just a three-piece guitar-bass-drums outfit, which doesn’t leave Openshaw much room to solo. But Openshaw’s voice is the main instrument on the recording. The selections almost sound like demos, with little or no effects added to the guitar, but it doesn’t really need any. His guitar playing, especially on “An Arsenal of Words and Fear,” is influenced without being derivative. On “Lullaby” he really gets to stretch his vocal capabilities out on a ballad, and it’s an impressively emotive result for his amount of time on the local music circuit.

Brian Staker, Salt Lake City Weekly

Eric Openshaw Band

Eric Openshaw Band is particularly worth checking out. The band incorporates elements of country-dance, funk, jazz, blues and rock into its music; particularly noteworthy is the funky “Seattle”, featuring some good, clean, funky, low-distortion guitar and a VERY stellar bass solo by Rob Alvord. A rock-solid cover of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” was also particularly entertaining. This band brings to mind the Red Hot Chili Peppers without the California attitude, and is definitely worth the price of admission to any show.

Mark Hammond, The Local Landing

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