Review - Six Kinds of Passion Looking for an Exit

If the album title doesn't give you a clue, let's spell it out. Eric Matthews is a gifted singer-songwriter who wears a honey-dipped heart on his red silk sleeve. His shimmering pop songs equally recall "Maybe I'm Amazed"-era Paul McCartney and Nick Drake's Pink Moon with the orchestral sheen of Burt Bacharach's "What the World Needs Now." Matthews' world is a vision of lush instrumentation, whispered vocals and lyrical sentiments that would be pure sap if not for his exquisite touch and good taste. Matthews robs the past like a time traveler, setting down into a mod 'n' misty London, cool late-'60s L.A. and other places too obscure to mention. A cult hero, his previous albums have solidified his position as a stylist of rare talent and considerable determination, and one unconcerned with contemporary trends. Six Kinds of Passion will surely extend the myth.