James Eric

Romantic slow-core noise pop in the vein of Wilco, Matthew Sweet, and Okkervil River

Off of Western Avenue in Chicago's Logan Square, blocks from the Congress Theatre and Margie's Candies, is the studio and living space of a buried treasure that, slowly, is becoming unearthed. Underneath headphones and tangled wires the former frontman of Automatic Pilot has been holed up in the space for months, composing his experimental, ambient pop soundscapes, splicing them with distorted noise rock, and then reinterpreting them for an acoustic environment. There's no more band; no more noise to hide behind. The intensity's the same, but it's quiet now, telling its simple truth with a single voice and one man's instruments. This is the sound of a man realizing his own potential. Automatic Pilot is dead (although all records are available on Itunes). Meet James Eric. All the work's being done in a rush to finish up the first release as the solo artist James Eric, a twelve song record called Acceptance, due out in February 2006 on Grey Noize Records. The guitars on the new album are clean, no longer marked by the noise and distortion of Automatic Pilot's seminal swan-song, Deathless. The piano rings out crisply and James' voice is pure and strong. Music made by a man with nothing to hide, Acceptance is genuine and moving, utilizing an undeniable knack for catchy hooks to explore the potential of experimental instrumentation all in the ultimate pursuit of saturating the emotionally stark lyrics with the quiet intensity that best befits them. The record represents a new beginning. James recently had the tremendous honor of playing the 8th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute Concert at Uncommon Ground alongside 12 other extraordinarily talented musicians from all across the world. A national tour in May will bring his aching sincerity into performance spaces, whether it be clubs or living rooms, and will undoubtedly take that new beginning and turn it into something that can't be met with cynicism or doubt; only acceptance.

I play live in Chicago and will eventually tour the country

wilco, okkervil river, red house painters, bob dylan, iron and wine, the police, brian eno, nine inch nails, aphex twin, low, neil young, jeff buckley, the afghan whigs, the frames, harry nilsson, matthew sweet, fiona apple, the pixies, explosions in the sky, bright eyes, velvet underground, leonard cohen, neutral milk hotel, nick drake, the replacements, elliot smith, john coltrane, sparklehorse, sonic youth, death cab for cutie, mark lanegan, the shins, modest mouse, the flaming lips, the arcade fire, the cure, radiohead, the jawhawks, godspeed you black emperor, pj harvey, fountains of wayne, pavement, sigur ros, my bloody valentine, the clash, morrissey, television, patty smith, miles davis, the sundays, beck, smashing pumpkins, nirvana, motion picture soundtrack, clem snide, sebadoh, mazzy star, van morrison, juliana hatfield, counting crows, ani difranco, ben folds, eels, death cab, old liz phair

Guitar and amp