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Early On

11/01/2005 | Seedling Records 

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All Music Guide Review

An 18-track anthology subtitled "The Americana Recordings 1993-1998," Early On cherry-picks A.J. Croce's first three albums: A.J. Croce, That's Me in the Bar, and Fit to Serve. The son of the late folk-pop singer/songwriter Jim Croce, he has an undeniably '70s feel to his music, but it's the likes of Leon Russell, early Tom Waits, and Randy Newman who appear to be the primary influences on Croce's old-timey New Orleans-style piano playing and blues and jazz-influenced songwriting. Though each album features a different producer and set of musicians, Croce has developed enough personal style that all of Early On sounds of a piece. Due in part to vocal problems suffered during the recording of Fit to Serve, Croce switched to a smoother and less bluesy vocal style starting with his fourth album, 2000's Transit, and his material has grown increasingly pop-oriented as well. As a result, Early On is a neat summation of a closed chapter in A.J. Croce's career. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

Track Listing

Credits

  • A.J. Croce
  • Piano, Executive Producer, Vocals, Horn Arrangements, Wurlitzer
  • John Leftwich
  • Bass, Slap Bass, String Arrangements, Horn Arrangements


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