Just Barely Famous by Herb Eimerman

Starting with the first track, the self-derisive “Inside Joke,” Eimerman proves his prowess, constructing layers of vibrant melodic textures while providing a nuance that imbues it with a classic pop feel. Eimerman soaks up the influences of pop mentors from decades past – the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys and countless veterans of the so-called “British Invasion” of the mid to late ‘60s - and recycles them with a sound and style that’s instantly engaging and effortlessly accessible. And with sixteen songs and not a bad one among them, there’s no lack of quantity to match the quality. It’s a shame Eimerman has to resort to such self-effacing modesty; Just Barely Famous is an album that suggests far more potential than its humble title implies.

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Florida Entertainment News and Reviews

Lee Zimmerman

08/04/2006

Listening to Just Barely Famous, the latest from Herb Eimerman, is akin to time traveling to the late 1960s, with tracks such as “Inside Joke” and “The Ocean Is Blue” supplying charming simplicity and an unwaveringly buoyant, Brit-pop beat. The 16 songs are almost all self-penned (George Harrison’s “Stuck Inside A Cloud” is the sole cover), nicely showcasing this consistently creative artist. (emanbmi@aol.com)

– Jeff Berkwits

Illinois Entertainer 08/01/2006

HERB EIMERMAN

Just Barely Famous (Jam; CD)

In many ways Herb Eimerman's music is the modern equivalent of many of the artists on the Fading Yellow series, (although it should be added that Herb's soft, gentle pop is mercifully free of the inappropriate strings arrangements that mar some of the Fading Yellow material).

Herb plays and sings almost everything on this CD, which has a very polished, clean sound. The lead vocals can occasionally be a little 'polite' but there are some real gems here. The first few songs are striking. If I was sequencing the tracks I would start with the excellent cover of George Harrisons' 'Stuck Inside A Cloud', with great guitar, and follow it with the extremely catchy, jangly 'Vanished Shadows'. 'Shadows' is one of half a dozen tunes co-written with Stefan Johansson, all of which mix memorable hooks with a strong dose of jangly guitars. 'Where I'm At With You' is particularly notable for the excellent vocal duet with a lady named Becca. Herb contributes some fine tunes of his own, such as 'Tell Me Where' which sports a beguiling, chiming guitar figure.

In summary the casual listener would do well to investigate beyond the first few songs, as the strongest and most appealing tunes appear towards the middle and end of this 16 song collection. By the halfway point Herb's subtle and gentle pop tunes will win you over.

www.jamrecordings.com

Phil Suggitt Shindig Magazine...05/2006

Herb Eimerman - Just Barely Famous

[Under The Dome UTD262418]

This is one of those albums created by a 'one man band', Herb Eimerman, with just a little help from a few friends. And it is a pop-rock gem - sixteen sharp pop-rock songs hewn out from a powerpop template. Think the Byrds, the Knack, the Cars, perhaps a smidgen of early Joe Jackson... and of course The Spongetones. Herb Eimerman has written all the songs on Just Barely Famous, with Swede Stefan Johansson co-writing several, plus there is a good cover version of George Harrison's Stuck Inside A Cloud. I haven't really heard this album enough yet to pick out favourite tracks, it's an album that grows on you - one that if it clicks will be on your personal playlist for a long time in the future. It makes a mockery of the current fad of iTunes downloading where you reduce an album to just the hit singles and ignore the rest - I'm playing the album while typing this and I haven't heard a track yet that I wouldn't want to hear again several times. This is feelgood music, jangly guitars, bright harmonies and songs with good old fashioned hooks, choruses and hummability. And talking of guitars, the back of the inlay is a photo of a display of tasty looking axes that should make even Eric Clapton's mouth water! It really can't get better than this, Just Barely Famous is on heavy rotation here at the Borderland Post, and not many make it that far!

http://www.the-borderland.co.uk/

Just Barely Famous - by Herb Eimerman. I could almost repeat what I said about Tommy Keene, except that Herb Eimerman has always worn his Rickenbacker 12-string guitar on his sleeve! Tracks like "Unbreakable," "The Ocean Is Blue," "Tell Me Where" and "Be Home Tonight" have that big Ricky chiming sound. As long as Herb is recording and releasing albums, Midwestern jangle-pop continues to be in good hands!

Eric Sorensen...fufkin.com 05/2006

Herb Eimerman -- Just Barely Famous (UnderthedomE): The Illinois pop artist is back with another slew of mid-tempo pop tunes that touch on familiar sounds and themes, bridging the years between Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers to the great ‘70s power pop bands that were inspired by them. At its best, the songs are blissful. Like "Unbreakable", a sunshiney melody with devotional lyrics and some nice George Harrison-style lead guitar licks. The George Harrison connection is no coincidence, as Herb covers the Quiet Beatle's "Stuck Inside a Cloud". This track, from Harrison's final LP, has a classic Harrison melody, and Eimerman does well by it. If you know the original tune, then you have a good idea of where Eimerman's sensibilities lie, as it fits perfectly with his originals on this disc. Other top tracks include the old fashioned ballad "I Leave It All Up to You", which could have been done in the ‘50s or ‘60s, the gentle "Puttin' My Things in a Suitcase", which he co-wrote with Swedish power popper Stefan Johansson, and another co-write with Johansson, "The Ocean Is Blue". I can see why Jam Recordings puts out Herb's records, as he sometimes reminds me of a mellower version of Jam label head Jeremy. The only caveats with this disc are: 1) the material is quite consistent, and the biggest flaw in the album is that Eimerman could stand to vary his approach a bit more, and, 2) while 16 songs is nice value for the money, when an artist is so consistent, some might find that the material blurs together a bit too much. Of course, for some, 16 tracks won't be enough. jamrecordings.com

Mike Bennett...Fufkin.com 05/2006

Herb Eimerman "Just Barely Famous" Herb Eimerman creates the kind of pop music that warms the heart, soothes the soul and electrifies the environment. His latest album, "Just Barely Famous," ripples to the finish line with songs you'll never grow tired of hearing. Clinging tight to Herb's signature sound of polished arrangements, glistening melodies and fluid instrumentation, the record is intimate and direct. The title cut of the disc, along with "Our Fate Was Signed," "Where I'm At With You," "The Ocean Is Blue" and a version of George Harrison's "Stuck Inside A Cloud" are particular ringers to cherish on "Just Barely Famous." Some of the track on "Just Barely Famous" snap, crackle and pop with might, while other songs post a psychedelic fragrance as they swirl and soar with elegance. Blessed with a sensitive voice that bears a likeness to Tommy James, Herb arguably has a good thing going. (JAM Records www.jamrecordings.com)

Twist and Shake....04/2006

New 2006 release offering the kind of precision most musicans don't seem all that concerned with anymore, Herb Eimerman's new cd "Just Barely Famous" creates lush, richly textered melodies that stir up the perfect pop confection. Some of the songs on this release reflect classic and sumptuous Brit-Pop and for the first time Herb has written a handful of his new material with Stefan Johansson of Yesterday Girl Records in Stockholm, Sweden. A good example of this collaboration is the beautiful and flowing "Where I'm At With You", a duet with Herb introducing the dulcet debut of vocalist Becca and Herb's first ever recording of a copy song, the haunting George Harrison penned "Stuck Inside A Cloud". "Just Barely Famous" is Herb's 5th solo project along with a cd he did with Jeff Murphy of Shoes called Nerk Twins "Either Way", and this should be the cd that power pop fans sit up and take notice that Herb Eimerman is pure pop pleasure to behold and enjoy.

2006 release from Herb Eimerman, who continues to evolve this unique and special pop craft and gets better and better with each release. "Just Barely Famous" is his best yet. Eimerman (who was half of The Nerk Twins, his group with Shoes-man Jeff Murphy) has a unique way of recording that results in a sound that is part Dwight Twilley echo, The Everly Brothers, early Marshall Crenshaw, mid/late-70's Flamin' Groovies, Spongetones and Shoes. Like we said, 'unique'. For this record, the "X" ingredient is co-writer (on six of the 16 songs here) Swede Stefan Johansson. He tweaks and enhances Eimerman's formula bringing a new dynamic to it, that seeths and seeps even into his own songs. Just a bit more bite that, pleasureably, does not hurt, but titilates. The 12 stringed guitars ring, echo and refrain their way into your ear leaving only happy memories and smiles. It`s a power pop testimony loaded with jangly guitars, luscious layered vocal harmonies and some of Eimerman's best-ever melodies.

BlogCritics.org has this to accurately say about Eimerman's music: "Musically, pop lovers like me'll pick up traces of Zion Illinois' finest, not to mention bits of later Flamin' Groovies and squishy folk-poppers like the Association. It's the kind of thoughtful 60's-indebted pop-rock that thankfully seems to be surviving thanx to a coterie of cultish addicts, many of 'em too young to've "outgrown" this sneakily hook-filled retro sound.". If there's one Eimerman disc to pick up out of a solid handful, this *the* one, hands-down. Extremely Highly Recommended!

Bruce Brodeen....Notlame

Herb's fifth(!) solo release offers the kind of precision most musicians don't seem all that concerned with anymore. "Here, he creates lush, richly textured melodies that stir up the perfect pop confection!" Still chock full of the elements that have defined his prior releases - lots of 6 + 12-string jangly guitars and heavenly (Jeremy-like) harmonies - some of the songs reflect his affection of classic Brit-Pop (think Searchers and you've got a real good idea) and, for the first time, Herb has co-written a handful of new songs with Stefan Johannson (he of the most excellent Yesterday Girl Records who issued the most excellent "Pop Greetings From" series a few years back - whatever happened to that series anyway?). "Where I'm At With You", his Mamas & Papas-like, 12-string-led duet with newcomer Becca is a 60's pop fan's delight! On "Our Fate Was Signed", he sounds like Reg Presley of The Troggs! Herb also delivers his first-ever recording of a cover - a haunting version of George Harrison's "Stuck Inside A Cloud"! EXCELLENT!!!

KoolKatMusik.com

Excellent new 2006 release from Illinois pop giant Herb Eimerman. Fans of Moody Blues, Beatles, Byrds, Shoes, Marty Wilson Piper, and Cat Stevens will enjoy this wonderful creation! Herb his refined his craft and now is at the top of his game! This cd is very highly recommended with a solid 5 star review!!! *****

Jeremy Morris...www.Jamrecordings.com

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