This is not the first time Inner Ear Media mentions Ernie Halter. We spoke with the talented songsmith a few years ago and in our Myspace days we were sure to bring up his name on a regular basis.
Halter is a gifted songwriter and lyricist. In the competitive world of singer/songwriters there is a whole bunch of decent artists, some of them even quite good, but not very special. Halter manages to stand out. His sound is quite unique with his mix of soul, pop, rock, folk, and at times even a touch of rootsy music.
On his previous albums he already showcased talent, versatility, and depth (emotional, lyrical and harmonical) in his songs. And he continues to do this on a very high level on his new album “Franklin & Vermont”.
The melody of the opener Hard To Let A Good Love Go is catchy. The song is upbeat and tells a love story. But the cheer and sincerity in the song make it stand out. The acoustic Angel is a pretty neat track and typically Ernie Halter. The subtle guitar gives way for his excellent vocals to shine. Lead single Gone follows with a somewhat simple, but highly effective melody.
The real gems are the rhythmic Meant To Be, the funky Yes I Am and the beautiful duet with Amy Kuney that closes the album, This Beautiful Ache. All the songs feature strong songwriting, but the versatility, musicality and sincerity Halter shows on these tracks really shows why it’s a miracle that he hasn’t had a big breakthrough. Add to that the best cover of Coldplay’s In My Place you will ever hear, and you’ll understand exactly what I mean.
“Franklin & Vermont” is an album that’s even more solid and complete than Halter’s “Starting Over”, which already was a very strong record. This man keeps finding ways to complement himself as a songwriter and grow as a performer. The dedication and sincerity are admirable and the quality of the music on this album is the absolute top of singer/songwriter. If Halter can continue to evolve and grow, it’s hard to say where this will end. But a breakthrough is pending, sooner rather than later, if you ask me.
Halter is a gifted songwriter and lyricist. In the competitive world of singer/songwriters there is a whole bunch of decent artists, some of them even quite good, but not very special. Halter manages to stand out. His sound is quite unique with his mix of soul, pop, rock, folk, and at times even a touch of rootsy music.
On his previous albums he already showcased talent, versatility, and depth (emotional, lyrical and harmonical) in his songs. And he continues to do this on a very high level on his new album “Franklin & Vermont”.
The melody of the opener Hard To Let A Good Love Go is catchy. The song is upbeat and tells a love story. But the cheer and sincerity in the song make it stand out. The acoustic Angel is a pretty neat track and typically Ernie Halter. The subtle guitar gives way for his excellent vocals to shine. Lead single Gone follows with a somewhat simple, but highly effective melody.
The real gems are the rhythmic Meant To Be, the funky Yes I Am and the beautiful duet with Amy Kuney that closes the album, This Beautiful Ache. All the songs feature strong songwriting, but the versatility, musicality and sincerity Halter shows on these tracks really shows why it’s a miracle that he hasn’t had a big breakthrough. Add to that the best cover of Coldplay’s In My Place you will ever hear, and you’ll understand exactly what I mean.
“Franklin & Vermont” is an album that’s even more solid and complete than Halter’s “Starting Over”, which already was a very strong record. This man keeps finding ways to complement himself as a songwriter and grow as a performer. The dedication and sincerity are admirable and the quality of the music on this album is the absolute top of singer/songwriter. If Halter can continue to evolve and grow, it’s hard to say where this will end. But a breakthrough is pending, sooner rather than later, if you ask me.
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