Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 245 - Eric Church (2)

Mr Misunderstood - Eric Church

EMI Nashville

Produced by Jay Joyce

Released 3rd November 2015

US Chart #2

US Country Chart #2

Tracklist

A1     Mr. Misunderstood    
A2     Mistress Named Music    
A3     Chattanooga Lucy
A4     Mixed Drinks About Feelings
A5     Knives Of New Orleans    
B1     Round Here Buzz    
B2     Kill A Word
B3     Holdin' My Own    
B4     Record Year    
B5     Three Year Old

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Way back in May this year I spotlighted Eric Church's Caught In The Act Live album.

In the latest issue of Classic Rock there's a pretty cool interview with Eric Church as the mnagazine shines a light on the world of Country Rock:

“We’ve always been on the edges of country,” considers Church. “But it’s funny, because when Chief happened, we became arguably one of the biggest acts in the format. And I think we kinda pulled to the middle. I’m real uncomfortable there. To me, it’s always been about trying to get out on the edges. And to stay out there.”

He certainly doesn't do things by the "rules" either as his latest album, Mr Misunderstood, that was released last year just seemed to appear with very little fanfare, no major promotional gimmicks or even advertising! The album just kind of crept out, first releasing it to his fan club and then the day after releasing it on iTunes. The album you would have assumed didn't go down too well with so little promotion, but it made it to #2 on both the Billboard 200 Chart and the Top Country Chart.

I'm guessing that he has every right to do things the way he wants to do having begun life in Nashville writing hit songs for other people before his own career finally took off in 2006 with Sinners Like Me. But it was his 2011 album Chief that blew the roof off as it hit the top spot not just on the Country Chart but also the Billboard 200.

Reviewing Mr Misunderstood for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Erik Ernst writes, "Church is country music's weird kid, who bucked the industry's expectations to chase cookie-cutter radio hits and defiantly forged his voice as an innovative, authentic songwriter."

I would totally agree with that assessment!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 124 - Eric Church

The name Eric Church first crept into people's conciousness in 2010 when he scored a surprise Top 20 hit in the USA with his song 'Springsteen'. But his stock has been on the rise since 2006 and his debut album Sinners Like Me (US Chart #29). Three years later Carolina went a bit higher (#17). 2011 saw him hit the top spot on the US Country Chart and the Billboard Chart with his album Chief. The Outsiders (2014) also hit #1 in both charts and his latest Mr Misunderstood stalled at #2. Stuck in the middle of all this was his live album Caught in the Act which gave a good insight into the concert performance of Mr Church and showed why at the end of 2014 he was the top selling Country act on the market.

He has been nominated for various awards at the ACM Awards - winning Top New Solo Artist  in 2011, Album of the Year for Chief in 2013 (though it was first nominated in 2012!), Vocal Event of the Year for The Only Way I Know (with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan) in 2013, and the Jim Reeves International Award in 2015, and Video of the Year for Mr Misunderstood at the 2016 Ceremony.

At the American Country Awards in 2012 he won Song of the Year for Springsteen. The American Music Awards in 2014 The Outsiders won Favourite Country Album.

At the CMA Awards (man there is a lot of Country Music Award ceremonies isn't there!) he won Musical Event of the Year for Raise 'em Up with Keith Urban.

Along with all those wins there were many nominations at all of the above events and also a number of nominations between 2012-2015 at The Grammy Awards for which he is yet to win one.

His latest album by the way, Mr Misunderstood, was released in November last year and took everyone a bit by surprise with no fanfare and no promotional advertisements in preparation for the release. Current radio single from the album is Record Year.

Caught in the Act - Eric Church

EMI Nashville

Released 9th April 2013

US Country Chart #3

US Chart #5

That's Damn Rock 'n' Roll ft Lzzy Hale

CMT Awards 2014

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!

Eric Church - The Outsiders (Feb 11th 2014)

New Eric Church album set for release next week.  You can get a taster by listening on NPR.