GARDEN on a TRAMPOLINE is...
me. James Eric (or Jim)
"James Eric is a generous solo performer who we first reviewed at our old site. His vocal style is kind of folky, in the Bob Dylan kind of way. The music is a little mellow/shoegazery (is that a word), a little folky, and a little rock and roll. James is at his best live, where he shows lots of passion and imagination. He provides TONS of free music on his site, -- original songs, instrumentals, and covers. The best part of his covers is that he really changes stuff up from the original, to make the piece his own." - Ethan, Berkeley Place
"Nearly all the covers are stripped down and his vocal range on the covers is pretty amazing (he can hit Jonsi’s high notes and also sound like Jeff Mangum)." - Taylor, Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good
"I don't know about you, but anyone that can cover Sigur Ros gets big ups from me" - Goose, Veritas Lux Mea
"It is rare that I am this responsive. I got an email from a reader yesterday who kindly suggested that I check out the music of James Eric Laczkowski. So I did. He is a singer/songwriter from right here in Chicago that has received some attention for his cover songs, but his original material is pretty good as well. It is fairly eclectic for singer/songwriter fare and that is a good thing." - Eric, Can You See the Sunset From the Southside
"James Eric is the kind of guy who still sings about things I wish I could, but sadly do not have to the spirit to. And despite all the things James has gone through he always sings with a level of energy and passion that startles me from time to time. On his much overlooked Fire In The Mountains from this year the song "I Hope..." is an anthem that has a great marching rhythm, stomping piano and is full of that classic James Eric sincerity that I so dearly adore. This song's message is simple, but born out of a life of complications. It is so steadfast I can't help but wish to sing it aloud. And it's the kind of song that must be sung that way and even if you don't believe its message, the more and more you sing it you will eventually.
When I popped in Tonight The Moon I was greeted with a wonderful sonic trip that felt like a cohesive album instead of a random collection. The opener “Purple Heart” readily sucks you in and is appropriately epic in scale, a dirty psychedelic trip that recalls a Beatle-ish-sound mixed with Modest Mouse. I’m really feeling “You Know” right now. A great example of how passionate James is, I really like singing the line, “When will my mind just shut up!” The next song “Emma Lee” is a masterpiece in pop songwriting. A great one name refrain, it is another classic song in a great line of songs about that girl and won’t get out of your head, ever. The song “Someday” is sweet, low-key and thoughtful with a wonderfully tender and humorous music video to go along with it featuring dolphins. No really, watch it here. “Live Through Me” has a beautifully simple chorus and is sentimental without being schmaltzy. Overall this compilation album from James Eric is chock full of wonderful production values, definitely an atypical headphones record that rewards constantly with great well-crafted folk/pop songs." - Steven Ray Morris, Foggy Ruins of Time
"[James Eric] tucks introspective lyrics inside grand washes of shoegazer guitar" - Greg Kot, The Chicago Tribune
Favorite Books Include: Tropic of Cancer, A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius, Who Will Run The Frog Hospital, Slaughterhouse Five, High Fidelity, Quiddity, Free Stallion, Into The Wild, A Language Older Than Words, Blue Like Jazz
Favorite TV Shows Include: Twin Peaks, Lost, Veronica Mars, The Wire, Joan of Arcadia, Scrubs, Buffy, Arrested Development, Tell Me You Love Me, Stella
Favorite Movies Include: Trust, Fearless, Punch-Drunk Love, All The Real Girls, The New World, Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, Kicking and Screaming, Once, Wet Hot American Summer
LISTEN TO THE SHOWS I'VE TAPED OF MY FRIENDS BY CLICKING HERE:
05.02.08 @ The Foster Home
Cuomo! Live @ the Radish Patch
Real Live Tigers @ the Radish Patch
Toby Foster @ the Radish Patch
The Awful Truth @ the Foster Home
Tinyfolk @ the Foster Home
Porches @ the Foster Home
Redbear @ the Castaway Collective
Dustin and the Furniture @ the Castaway Collective
Redbear @ The Radish Patch
My Bicycle Emergency @ The Radish Patch
Super Famicom @ The Radish Patch
Hello Shark @ The Radish Patch
Mike Lukich @ House of Grey Noise
Steph Davies @ House of Grey Noise
Shalloboi @ House of Grey Noise
Kiki+Peepee @ House of Grey Noise
Morgan Orion @ House of Grey Noise
Plenum @ The Radish Patch
AID @ The Radish Patch
Melissa Genova @ Cafe Couture
KT The Band @ The Castaway Collective
Paul Baribeau @ The Foster Home
Patrick Ripoll @ The Castaway Collective
Heathers @ The Glass Haus
Ghost Mice @ The Glass Haus
Shelby Sifers, Jordaan Mason, Morgan Orion, me @ The Stanley
Patrick Ripoll, Victor VB, Woody Hart, Erin Vogel, Nehedar, me @ The Kitsch Cave
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Good stuff. My only complaint is I like it when your music is by "JAMES" (whether it be James Eric or James Laczkowski).. Why are you calling yourself "Garden On a Trampoline" now? You keep hiding behind names of bands or projects.. why not JUST BE YOU?!
