, Upload:, 07:43 118 Artist: Ernie Halter Title Of Album: Starting Over Year Of Release: 2008 Label: Rock Ridge Music Genre: Acoustic Pop Rock, Folk Total Time: 37:28 min Format: FLAC (tracks +.cue, log-file) Quality: Lossless Total Size: 246 mb Review by William Ruhlmann When a recording artist titles an album Starting Over, as several have, it comes as a clear statement of intent. In the case of neo-blue-eyed soulman Ernie Halter, that statement seems to have been intended as a personal one. 'The new record is called Starting Over for a reason,' Halter is quoted as saying in a press release.

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Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Starting Over - Ernie Halter on AllMusic - 2008 - When a recording artist titles an album Starting.

'I wanted the title to be direct, simple, and set the tone for the album. In this past year, I experienced the unraveling of my marriage and the birth of my first son.' To be sure, those are momentous events in anyone's life. But the songs on Starting Over and the manner in which they are performed do not justify the title.

Although the disc begins with 'Different Lives,' a breakup song, most of the songs are about happy love, not sad, and none are about childbirth. (Arguably, the final song, 'Lighthouse,' could be a father's declaration of support for a child, but it really sounds like another romantic love song.) And Halter certainly is not starting over in terms of musical approach. Most of the descriptions that were applied to his last album, Congress Hotel, apply here, too.

Stevie Wonder still rules as a primary influence (in particular, 'Blue Dress' has some of the vocal feel of 'Boogie on Reggae Woman'), and among contemporary performers, John Mayer still bears holding up for comparison. Halter does introduce a suggestion of South African mbaqanga music in 'Crazy Love,' but for the most part this is the music of a white boy in love with '70s mainstream R&B. He sounds more distinctive when he strips away the instrumentation, as he does, for example, on 'Lighthouse,' employing only a piano.

But instead of calling the album Starting Over, he should have called it 'Steady as She Goes.' TRACKLIST: 01. Different Lives (03:56) 02. Try (03:20) 03.

Blue Dress (03:10) 04. Count The Days (03:28) 05.

My Heart Is With You (03:16) 06. Pretty Girl (03:44) 07.

Just Friends (03:20) 08. Crazy Love (04:07) 09. Cyclone (02:48) 10. Played (02:30) 11. Lighthouse (03:43) DOWNLOAD LINKS: Download Ernie Halter - Starting Over (2008) - mp3, flac, ape, wav free. Ernie Halter - Starting Over (2008) free download download download link.

You can call me a cynical bastard if you want, but I expected this album to be a poor man’s version of Jack Johnson or Ryan Adams. Not sure where that impression came from, but it was my initial vibe. Fortunately for all parties, Ernie Halter has more in common with Jonny Lang or AJ Croce. He brings soulful vocals with a bit of a funky vibe, a passionate voice that can turn the mood somber and then turn around in the next breath to give the soul a lift to greater heights.

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He bounces around the various musical genres like Pooh Bear's Tigger bounces from one mishap to another. One moment, I’m listening to R&B, the next, I’m listening to funk. Before I’ve realized I’ve shifted genres, I’m listening to blues, calypso, and gospel. This dude doesn’t seemed satisfied with being lumped into one category, and for that, he’s a perfect addition to The Ripple Effect family! After wallowing around in the morose world of death metal for the past week or so, slipping in a copy of Ernie Halter’s Starting Over was the ray of light that I needed to pull me out of the darkness. Starting Over opens with “Different Lives,” and with Ernie’s voice hitting all of the right marks. Through the verses, there’s a somewhat plaintive tone going on as Ernie tells the tale of how everything went wrong during a relationship, and then shifts to a more uplifting and hopeful tone as he reaches the chorus and has found some acceptance that the two went their separate ways.

“Different Lives” is a well written bluesy, R&B type track that tells a captivating story. I particularly liked the lyrics about taking down the pictures from the house, removing the reminders of the pain. The breakdown towards the end of the track where we’re left with just Ernie’s voice and a muted acoustic guitar hammering away is a wonderful production touch. “My Heart Is With You” has that jazzy blues based piano layin’ down the foundation of the tune, but it’s Ernie’s voice and lyrics that are in the spotlight. It’s another great tale of love, and about missing that special girl who happens to be miles away. It’s filled with all of that heartfelt sentiment that you’re looking for to tug on the heart strings. The tune is followed up with the David Ryan Harris ( Follow For Now) penned ditty, “Pretty Girl,” which walks in hand with “My Heart Is With You.” Heartfelt and sentimental, stripped down to its roots, the song is just fun.

Performed with just an acoustic guitar, it’s one of those tunes that you can’t help but smile while listening to. “Cyclone” is one of the more intriguing tunes on the disc as Ernie embraces a completely different type of tune in that this one was originally written and recorded for the dance club circuit. Written by Babybash and apparently a club hit, Ernie took the tune and stripped the techno beats and electronica from it, and broke the song down to its foundation. Just a cool, groovin’ rhythm played on an acoustic guitar, Ernie half rapping, half crooning. Again, the man is showing some mad versatility going from R&B, blues, jazz, then into calypso and hip hop, for lack of a better term.

But, his crowning achievement and most heartfelt moment was saved for the very last track in “Lighthouse.”. I can’t express enough how incredible this tune is. You simply need to hear it for yourselves. Rather than completely leave y’all hangin’, here are a few thoughts on the tune.

“Lighthouse” draws more from gospel than any of the other genres mentioned and has that “Lean On Me” or “Bridge Over Troubled Water” spirit, inspiration, and power. I hear this tune, and I reminiscence on when music was a vehicle of power rather than a cash machine. Finding the strength to be that savior for someone who’s lost is heady stuff, and Ernie’s performance on this track is as captivating as the two aforementioned classics. I’ve heard the old adage my entire life, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Blah, blah, blah.

I’m a creature of habit. I'm working on it.

But fortunately, Ernie Halter is one of the key components to my breaking this nasty habit of casually casting stuff aside before I’ve given it a fair chance. Starting Over is a phenomenal album! I speak from the heart here folks.

There’s not a bad track on this thing, and the tracks that I’ve mentioned are my attempt to key your initial focus on the highlights. Once you’ve gone through the album and recognized these highlights, the rest of the albums subtle beauty will unfold for you and you’ll be transfixed by sounds that were created by the heavens. I’m not saying that Ernie is God, just that he’s potentially a vessel for heavenly works. ‘nuff said. Great album, pick it up, embrace its warmth and beauty, and be a better person for it.

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