The singer-songwriter genre has been firmly established decades ago, and while there are those that look at it (and don’t listen to it) with scorn, the genre has its firm support and almost any listener (even those among us that don’t like the genre) often encounter an artist within it or a song or two they hold dear.
Eric H. F. Law and his latest album Recreate squarely falls within the genre. After all, Law has been at it since the age of 14 and he wrote and sang about his immigrant experience in New York City in the 1970s, at what could be the height of the popularity of the genre.
Usually, the key element singer-songwriters have to tackle in their music (and lyrics) is walking that thin line between being personal, introspective, and too self-reflecting and trivial.
To be able to successfully walk that thin line, you have to have both the capabilities and experience to do so. On Recreate, Law seems to be able to keep that balance in check and only rarely (if at all) falls into the trap of being too personal.
The key here lies in his quite effective songwriting which he wraps in quite tasteful arrangements and the ability to relate to more than just one person – himself. He is even able to successfully tackle some heavy subject matter like the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US capital (“Who Tells Us”) without being heavy-handed.
Essentially, Law’s Recreate is a sort of treasure trove for fans of the singer-songwriter genre.
