Eric Hogg

First of all, this is acoustic music. It’s also pop. Some will question whether the style can truly be called alternative, especially when listening to “Survive” (Origins Unknown 2008) for the first time. But the CD production is really quite good.

Eric Hogg has a youthful voice and with that, a youthful presentation. He is certainly talented. Perhaps the beauty he is able to experience outside his window has something to do with the emotions and the need to express large ideas. Victoria, British Columbia can do that to a person.

“The Fallout” from the same collection has a slightly different feel from the first-mentioned tune. This one has a bit more edge and picks up the rhythm somewhat. In fact, there are some bigger questions being asked in “The Fallout.”

It’s hard to pinpoint where the strongest influences are with Eric Hogg. His list of influences is very long and contains quite a variety of musical styles. It is tempting to close in on one classic band or legendary singer to explain a new performer. We could do that with The Beatles, Pink Floyd and King Crimson as influences here. The Flaming Lips might be a newer influence. But that doesn’t tell it all.

The title tune from his collection, “Origins Unknown” pretty much tells the story. We just don’t know the answer to the question being asked. Maybe Eric will figure this out over a long career.

Eric Hogg on MySpace

Tags: Eric Hogg, music, indie music, independent music, indie