Earl J. Rivard employs a striking analogy to introduce his latest CD, Underground Railroad.  This disc’s title track draws a shocking parallel between the Underground Railroad, which was created to free black slaves during America’s shameful racist past, with the way current Mexican immigrants are being mistreated by the U.S. government.  Rivard pulls no punches and sings biting words to make his point.  “The time has come to say it loud/We have lost our fucking minds”.  It’s the sort of righteous anger one might expect to hear from Stevie Wonder, albeit, probably without the profanity.  Rivard is mad as hell, and he’s not going to take it anymore.

With that said, this is the only truly politically-charged track on the CD.  Elsewhere, Rivard is a hopeless, yet literate and intelligent, romantic. The very moment after he gets the vitriol out of his system with “Underground Railroad”, he is gushing about finding true love. It’s the perfect transitional link to an album of mostly love songs too, as it begins.  “Outside it is snowing/But you and I are glowing”. The cold weather is, perhaps, analogous to the chilly race relations confronted with “Underground Railroad”, whereas Rivard’s statement about creating a romantic glow proves that, even though the world is going wrong in many ways, love still survives.

In fact, Rivard utilizes many weather-related lyrical devices to express his perspective throughout this project.  “Coldest Place” speaks of a love, much like an extinguished fire, that is cold and no longer burning. In contrast, “The Sun Finally Rose” compares the illumination of a new love relationship to the rising of the sun.  “When you walked into my life/The sun finally rose”.

One song in particular directly references Rivard’s role as a songwriter.  “Unfinished Songs” is about just what its title suggests: unfinished songs.  One imagines that for every great song a songwriter creates, there are many others that never reach completion, let alone wind up on a CD.  What makes this track stand out most of all is its ending. The last line reads, “Of this ragged and rusted collection of unfinished…”. Get it? You’re expecting to hear the word “songs” at the end of that line, but, like a lot of his aborted musical creations, this line remains unfinished.  Although it is aurally abrupt, this tactic is effective and perfectly makes Rivard’s point.

Rivard also includes a fine character study among these twelve new recordings.  “Nobody Knows” tells the story of a lonely woman, who is described as being “wounded in childhood” and a “motherless wanderer.” It’s difficult to decipher if this is one woman in particular or a composite of a few pitiful lives.  That point doesn’t really matter, however, because Rivard’s words describe a person we’ve all known at one time or another.  This is a restless person, one who keeps moving in hopes of finding a home.  “Flying and fleeing wherever the chilly wind blows,” the lyrics state, and one can just picture, perhaps, a homeless lady in search of a better life. Or it could just be a teenager that doesn’t feel loved at home, as is suggested by the following line: “Up in her bedroom the gray dust is gathering”.  It all adds up to an empathetic song about someone who is tragically unloved.

Rivard is a multi-instrumentalist (playing various guitars and percussion instruments), as well as being bilingual and singing a few of these tracks in Spanish.  At times, he sounds like the aforementioned Stevie Wonder.  At other moments he may remind you of Santana.  In every style he inhabits, however, Rivard comes off sincerely passionate.  The listener is left with the impression that Rivard takes everything seriously, and to heart.  He doesn’t write songs just to be clever, that’s for sure.  Rather, the songs from his pen begin first with his heart.  If it was Rivard’s goal to express his heart through this music, he succeeded thoroughly.

Review by Dan MacIntosh

Dan MacIntosh, Reviews Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

Earl J Rivard III and his father, Earl J Rivard Jr, have a rare father/son relationship, working as songwriting partners. They have been writing and performing together since Earl III was 12, though he was singing long before that. Today, Earl Jr makes rare appearances on stage with his son, preferring to manage his son’s career, whose talent for performance, he says, “has ended up far outstripping my own.”

Though father-child collaboration has been successful with other talents such as Arlo Guthrie and his son and daughter, this musical team is quite unique. Earl III has been blind since he was four months old when a drunk driver cost him his sight and left him partially paralyzed on his left side. His love of music and his ability to sing seemed to be the universe’s compensation for his physical losses. He could memorize songs easily and render them back with musical accuracy even when he was barely able to sit in a high chair. He became a sieve for song lyrics and melodies and today boasts a repertoire of five hundred cover songs.

His motivation to play the guitar in spite of his physical limitations spurred him to strengthen his arm. He has since developed a unique, sophisticated guitar style to accompany his vocals, whether performing alone as Earl J, Troubadour or in several local bands, including Earl J and The Minor 7th or playing bass with The Highway Robbers or the Butter Band. Earl III, whose mother is from Argentina, spent his teens there, participating with locals in guitarreadas, where musicians pass a guitar around among themselves and share songs. These live song-sharing sessions can be the best places to learn new techniques and songs, and also to test out new material. For Earl III they were essential for his growing talent.

But it is his voice that is his strength. Able to write and sing in English, Spanish, and Italian, Earl III delivers his songs with a full rich voice that can be romantically lyrical or powerfully rocking. Earl III’s current CD, Underground Railroad, presents two original songs written and sung in Spanish. “Magdalena” was written by Earl Jr. and “Vuélvete”, which means “return to” or “go back”, was a collaboration between father and son.

It is songs such as these that comprise the meat of Underground Railroad, romantic offerings that stir the heart. Earl J Rivard III not only sings and does his own backup vocals, but he also plays acoustic rhythm guitar, congas, shaker, and tambourine. He and BZ Lewis, who sat in on a few tracks, collaborates on the string and flute arrangements. Supporting these songs are fellow musicians Lance Riley on drums, Mike Wynar on lead guitar, Max Cowan on keys, and Dave Lionelli, founder of the Butter Band, on bass.

“Till I Met You” is a romantic ballad by Earl Jr. that has lovely piano support by Timothy Drury.  “The Sun Finally Rose,” a father/son collaboration boasts BZ Lewis’s second lead guitar that is a sweet addition to this track. “This Time Around,” a rock and roll ballad about finding love for a second time, shows Earl III’s vocal versatility. His “Lady, Sweet Lady,” in contrast, is almost a period ballad that could have been written at the same time as “Barbara Allen.” It would make a great cut for movie soundtrack. But Earl III’s “Yours Eternally” that offers a lifelong pledge to a woman could become an all time much-requested wedding song. It is once more sweetly supported by Timothy Drury’s piano.

In contrast, there are two songs about love growing cold. “Coldest Place,” with Mike Wynar’s delicate lead guitar, is a chilling look at dying love. That theme is echoed in “Sometimes Love”, rendered as an acoustic pop ballad, but here it is more of a cautionary tale about what can happen if love isn’t tended properly.

The four other cuts on the album are odd contributions. “Nobody Knows” is a tune about wayward youth and is quite well done. Their “Unfinished Songs,” however, is purely self-indulgent. Songs like this aren’t really of interest to most listeners.

But the question mark about this album is the CD’s title and its beginning and ending tracks.  “Underground Railroad” is a song about unfair immigration laws that is a bit of collaborative writing between father and son. The first cut is the full version and the last cut is an edited radio version. It is clear that the songwriters feel strongly about this issue and what they have to say about it deserves to be heard. But the placement, first and last, and calling the album the same name implies that there will be more songs about this issue or others that might be underground in some way. It would have served them better to either release this one song as a single or wait until they had four or five more to do an EP of social commentary songs, a there is a growing listenership for that.

Still, Underground Railroad is a testament to the writing skills of this father/son team and showcases Earl J Rivard’s powerful and versatile voice, a fresh new talent.

Review by Janie Franz

Janie Franz, Reviews Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

It isn’t often I hear music that so inspires and moves me as did Earl J. Rivard, III’s Underground Railroad. This young man is absolutely one of the most exciting new talents I have heard since I started listening to music.  Period!   His voice is as smooth as silk and he sings with pure passion.

Underground Railroad begins with the title cut.  A tinny voice spoken via bullhorn –

“Warning: The following song will offend some ears.  Skip it, if you must.  The real obscenity is the United States government breaking up families as a matter of policy”

Then, in Spanish –

¿Como vas a quitarle una madre a su hijo?/¿Como vas a decirle que se tiene que ir?/Loca es la cultura que confunde estas cosas/Loca esta cultura, lo hay que decir

Translation –

How are you going to take a mother from her child?/How are you going to tell her that she has to go?/Crazy is the culture that confuses these things /Crazy this culture, it must be said.

These are some very intense, gut-wrenching lyrics to say the least.

As it turns out, Mr. Rivard graduated from Cal Berkley with a degree in Ethnic Studies in 2001, so this is a subject matter the man is very close to and extremely knowledgeable.  He sings the song with a great deal of passion.  From the first note, I was transported to locales such as El Salvador or Guatemala, where these words are the harsh reality for many mothers who have lost their children after being displaced by our government who espouses “family values” every election year.   This tune is a great positive that is born of a brutal negative; bringing awareness to a subject most people would rather bury their heads in the sand and pretend it doesn’t happen.  Not Mr. Rivard though. He is calling these villains out and does it eloquently with one of the greatest weapons ever developed, music.

On the third track, “Coldest Place” Mr. Rivard goes from political activist to blues man.

It wasn’t always this way/I remember when you used to say/That you wanted me beside you to fire you/But the flames have all died down/This is the coldest place in town/And I really don’t know how long I can stay.” These are some great blues lyrics beautifully sung by Rivard.  By the third track, he has established he can do folk music, romantic ballads, and blues, plus he has set the pace for the record.  The entire album is well balanced throughout.  Every musician on the record compliments one another and absolutely comes together as one very tightly regulated band.

This sensational collection of musicians has Lance Riley on drums, Dave Lionelli on bass guitar, Timothy Drury pounds the ivories on “Till I Met You” and “Yours Eternally”, and Max Cowan plays keyboards on the rest of the album.  Mike Wynar plays lead guitar and is outstanding.  BZ Lewis plays lead on “The Sun Finally Rose” and helps on percussion along with collaborating on string and flute arrangements.  Of course, we know about the lead vocals, but Mr. Rivard also plays rhythm guitar and was the other part of the puzzle on the string and flute arrangements.  If that were not enough, he and his Father, Earl Rivard, Jr. either wrote or co-wrote all thirteen songs on this unbelievable record.

Further, Rivard has what has to be one of the most vibrant and most perfect voices I have heard in decades.  What makes his voice so perfect?  It’s the power that thrusts it from deep down, forced upward from his diaphragm, echoing through his throat and out of his mouth as if it were amplified.  I absolutely could listen to this man sing all day and I’m almost positive I would never tire of listening to him.  One could never grow tired of hearing these incredibly natural sounds.  His range is wide and the voice never seems strained no matter what he is singing.

All told with his vocals, band, and exceptional songs, Earl J. Rivard, III is an outstanding artist who has created one of the best albums of the year in Underground Railroad.

Review by Rod Ames

Reviews, Rod Ames Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

There’s no doubt about it—Earl J Rivard was meant and destined to belt it out with his gifted set of formidable pipes.  In pristinely clean and clearly enunciated delivery, his highly disciplined vocals shine brightly into our ears.  Mr. Rivard’s powerful execution includes expert exercise of vocal dynamics with precision, and are never shy to gently milk the dramatic element.  From delicate fade-ins to vaulting vibrato blasts, routinely laced with artfully delicate and subtle gospel riffing, he spans the gamut.  Following in the stylized footsteps of Gino Vannelli, Michael Bolton, and other manly types, this voice hails from the rigorous school of confident, direct and assuredly in-charge performance.  The theatrical bent in most of his performances suggest that Earl has spent some time on the live stage as an actor.  He’s surely got the voice and projection needed to pull it off.

The production here gets high marks, with a cohesive vision that rises well to the challenge of tying all this diverse material together into one unified album.  Not an easy task, given how wide the genre range that is being covered.  There is a distinct SF bay area flavor to be found throughout, largely due to much of the electric guitar stylings.

The overall songwriting is highly respectable, though do not look for an abundance of groundbreaking innovation, as the tried and true paths are nearly always adhered to.  And considering the always classic, strict lead vocal style, it is perhaps fitting to be so.

Let’s take a word ride through each track:

1. “Underground Railroad” opens with a disclaimer for those sensitive souls who can’t get past a slight touch of f**king grit ingredient, totally appropriate in the context of this passionate and tragic message. Urging America to reconsider its heartless policy of mother and child separation in some situations, may this important social message be heard deep in hearts for good change.

1. Arriving a bit early relative to conventional track flow practice, “Till I Met You” quickly sets us down into its pensive and sensitive mood.  In the same ultra-loving, one-woman-worshiping spirit of track-12, praises are meant to be sung with a wide-open heart.

1. “Coldest Place” maintains the slow pace, but adds a soft rock rhythm section to help transition back up into higher energy following.  Based on the first few seconds of guitar strumming, one might expect Neil Young to arrive next.  But Neil Young is far from where Mr. Rivard’s sensibilities source.  Slightly Journey-flavored, this pop piece laments and declares the loss of love in what was apparently once a relationship more along the lines of tracks 2 and 12.

1. Higher energy does indeed arrive in “The Sun Finally Rose,” an assertive love song lauding her bright and welcome arrival onto his “darkened roads.” Kicking along in a proper rocking manner, this one is likely to bring everyone out onto the dance floor.

1. Production takes a teeny bit more risk in “Nobody Knows.”  A gently lilting waltz, its moody and slightly Scottish vibe wistfully carries our dream bodies aerially across the highlands.  With a fine sense of longing and sadness very well-suited to Earl’s voice, this is the shortest track on the record at under 3-minutes.  Some deeper feelings are inspired, and as he sweeps us away, our hearts feel that it would have been nice to extend the journey for another few minutes.

1. The “Magdalena” lyric is unintelligible for most of us, but romantic and indicative of Earl’s multi-lingual talent.  This slow, pleasant piece softly and inoffensively bops along, regardless of whatever the heck is being said.

1. Every songwriter deeply relates to the standard writer condition in  “Unfinished Songs.”  As close as this CD comes to country and 50’s rock-n-roll, again we pleasantly bop along.  Listen for the abrupt and humorously clever surprise (lack of) ending.

1. “Lady, Sweet Lady” ventures back into semi-modernized Euro-folk waltz land, this time in a traditional “Greensleeves” manner.  Whimsical with plaintively plucked guitar, historical harpsichord and flute, the stock chord progression for the genre expertly wafts along, lyrically alternating between the Lady and the Poet, back and forth in refined and bittersweet fashion.

1. Fluent language skills demonstrated again, ” Vuélvete ” has verse music that might be suitable for a gently rappin’ hip-hoppy Mick Jagger to lay down a track on top of, and a chorus that seeks to tug heartstrings much like Paul Young’s “Every Time You Go Away” and Lennon’s “Woman.”  Clean, clear guitar and electric piano make the soft bed in which we lay.

1. “This Time Around” is the most directly rock-n-roll offering contained herein.  Competently performed, as all else on this record, it is decidedly not the preferred style for Rivard’s vocals.  He is too much a kind and disciplined gentleman to pull this one off in the definitive manner that so many have before.  It’s likely included here to show a reach for versatility.

1. Now it’s a foray into a bit of Simon-Garfunkellish folk with “Sometimes Love,” a sparse and naked guitar/vocal.  Again, impeccable enunciation rules, with every word easily understood in this most poetic story song full of wise advice and sage caution.

1. Unabashedly romantic, “Yours Eternally” is a somewhat gushy love song that croons to melt the heart of those women receptive to its style of desirous promise.  Undoubtedly sincere, this florid and dreamy expression promises an infinity of commitment to just the luck woman to whom it is sung.  The full minute of silence at the end may represent his endless devotion?

1. “Underground Railroad” (radio version) cleans it up for mass consumption by blanking out (just the one?) teeny spot giving rise to the legally required parental discretion advisory.

Review by Mike Ososki

Mike Ososki, Reviews Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

Earl J Rivard’s voice mesmerizes on his latest release, Underground Railroad.  The 13-track album exemplifies Rivard’s prowess for singing. Bearing resemblance to Josh Groban, Rivard sings with intense passion, captivating the listener wholeheartedly.

Rivard hasn’t had an easy life. Struck by a drunk driver when he was an infant, he was left blind and partially paralyzed. However, these obstacles never hindered his pursuit of music. His motivation to learn to play guitar led Rivard to reclaim sensitivity and strength in his injured limb, ultimately giving him a sophisticated guitar style.

Well known for his live performances, Rivard can be found playing around the Bay Area as a solo artist as well as with backing musicians. Combining his soulful singing style with guitar, piano and percussion, Rivard offers much diversity. Whether it’s his gospel-esque vocals or his beautiful bilingual tracks, he is one artist to watch.

Beginning the album almost as a PSA announcement, Rivard says, “Warning: The following song will offend some ears. Skip it, if you must. The real obscenity is the United States government breaking up families as a matter of policy.” Soon after, a chant in Spanish segues into guitar accompaniment and Rivard’s gospel like vocals. A tale of a mother torn from her son during the 1800s, Rivard’s passionate singing style helps get across some of the atrocities that went on in the United States’ past while making it relatable and relevant to us today.

The impassioned opening track quickly switches gears to a slow and romantic ballad of love. “Till I Met You” is a beautiful tale accompanied by soaring piano and string features. “With lips of fragrant fire/You stir my love’s desire/And I just never knew/How sweet love was/Till I met you”, Rivard sings. A simple song, the listener feels the emotion within the moving lyrics and fitting vocals provided by Rivard. The light piano and strings are a welcomed supplement to Rivard’s angelic and soothing voice.

While the majority of Underground Railroad is ballads of love and loss, “The Sun Finally Rose” is a more upbeat track. Demonstrating his ability to sing faster-paced songs, he is successful in getting the song’s energy adequately across to the listener. With a huge buildup towards the end of the track, the crescendo impresses.

The only non-English tracks, “Magdalena” and “Vuélvete” at first seem peculiar on the album. While most listeners may not fully understand what is being sung, Rivard’s ability to transcend the emotion throughout his vocals in each song never falls short. While “Magdalena” offers a solid guitar interlude, “Vuélvete” slows things down, once again showcasing Rivard’s versatility and ability when singing in multiple languages.

“Lady, Sweet Lady” begins with soft acoustic guitar finger picking and at first sounds like it could be a hymn sung in church. With additional flute and keyboard accompaniment, the instruments provide light background music allowing his voice to shine.  “Yours Eternally” closes the album before the radio edit of “Underground Railroad.” A beautiful ballad professing lifelong love, Rivard sings, “I want to meet you down the aisle/I wonder if the sight of you in white/Would make me smile or make me cry/I want to love you till I die”. With string and piano arrangements combined with Rivard’s beautiful vocals, “Yours Eternally” leaves the greatest impact.

Whether he’s singing at notable venues throughout San Francisco, jazz clubs in Oakland or on his latest release, Underground Railroad, Earl J Rivard is an inspiration to music lovers everywhere. A child blinded and paralyzed who turned to music; Rivard’s tale is nothing short of a success story. His latest release showcases his passion and love for life while his vocals leave the listener in awe. One can only imagine what witnessing Rivard live is like, however listeners garner an adequate idea throughout his latest release, Underground Railroad.

Review by Annie Reuter

Annie Reuter, Reviews Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

Political artists are hard to find these days, especially those with poignant messages.  Earl J. Rivard, III has something to say on Underground Railroad. Making a huge statement right off the bat, the record begins with a warning preamble before the title track. A beautiful Spanish dirge sweeps the audience up into reverence for the broken families between the United States and Mexico.  After drawing in your ear so sweetly the song changes to in your face English rock, with heart-breaking verse at the brink of shouting “The time has come to say it loud, we have lost our f*cking minds.”  The song and album Underground Railroad is about the need of a new secret safe house network as for slaves during civil war, only this time the slaves are the immigrant sweatshop workers of Mexico, notably the millions of mothers separated from their children.  No matter one’s political stance, the situations described by the Rivards are undeniable, real and a perspective urgently needed amidst our “democratic” social media.

The collaborative work of a father and son team, both immaculate songwriters, Rivard, Jr. & III have created some very powerful fusions of multi-music genre styles that span the American continents with a dash of classical European influence.  The band members are all technically impeccable musicians.  To play such a wide range of music is indeed quite difficult and commendable.  However, it is hard to select a place to fit Earl into.

The voice of Earl J. Rivard III is complex, versatile and capable of singing many genres.  Usually this is a very positive thing, but with so many different styles of song, it often feels as though Earl is still searching for his niche.  It is difficult to compare his voice to any other, as it seems to jump depending on the song.  Sometimes our ears are in the care of a tender Spanish balladeer, yet other times pop-rock ferocity overpowers the band.  “Till I Met You”, for example, sounds like an epic sort of Elton John piano and all, soft yet strong and confident, riffing similarly.  Whereas the very next song, “Coldest Place”, sounds like the lounge of Vegas meets country music.  The overwhelming voice of Rivard is sometimes reminiscent of Tool frontman Maynard Keenan in its power.  The problem in Rivard’s vocals, however, is his tendency to scoop up to notes, making performances not nearly as solid, with harsh emphasis on English vowels.  His Spanish is so soft and romantic; one wants more for these moments than the shouting “Loud and Strong.”  It would sound far better if extreme English proclamations were treated with the same calm clear resolute tones as the Spanish lamentations, instead of being so intense.

“Lady, Sweet Lady” is a sweet carol in disguise as a ballad, if not part elegy, for a troubadour parting ways with a loved one.  The tune is “Greensleeves”, best known to the Western world as the Christmas carol “What Child is this?”. Compared to the rest of the album, this song is like a rose in a field of wild flowers; beautiful yet out of place and sometimes a bit prickly.  The arrangement could have 4-6 melodies as with a choir, but has a nice simplicity to it.

This production, album, band, and lyrics would have warranted a perfect rating, but it is the strange genre flipping vocals of Rivard that hurts them the most.  His tone is too serious, even classical to the point of trading some of the soul for power.  Still, Rivard has great potential as a singer if only he will find a comfortable genre and treat his English dynamics as he does his Spanish.

Underground Railroad as an album is brilliant.  Is it unfortunate, then, that the strength of it is in the band, not in Rivard as a solo artist.

Review by Julian Gorman

Julian Gorman, Reviews Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

The album Underground Railroad begins with the title track and a warning that “The following song will offend some ears; skip it if you must”, a bit controversial and it may indeed offend.  It is a political song dealing with Mexican immigrants coming to America and not being welcome here – in fact, being sent back to Mexico in a brutal and heartless fashion.  Underground Railroad also takes several stabs at America as Earl Rivard sings, “Give me your tired and your poor!’ Cried the lady with the torch, but then she slammed her iron door.” This is sure to rattle the cages of Americans near and far, but it also provides the listener with an idea of how it feels to be on the other side.

Aside from the controversial lyrics, Rivard’s voice is strong and the composition of this piece is powerful.  Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with the premise of the song itself, the music is riveting and it is clear from the start that Earl Rivard has talent and a voice that commands attention.  The album continues on with the melodic and haunting piano work that opens the listener to the track “Till I Met You,” which is one of the most beautifully composed love songs to have graced the music world in some time.  It evokes emotion and vivid imagery as Rivard’s smooth voice soothes and comforts all but the broken-hearted.  To the broken-hearted, this song is painful and yet strangely beautiful, compelling us to listen even as we shed our cold tears.

Along these same lines, the third track, “Coldest Place,” is another love song of sorts.  This piece is about love gone bad; or perhaps not bad, exactly, but more of a love that has simply gone.  The sound quality of this track is pure and clean, especially Rivard’s exceptional vocals.  The guitar solo is phenomenal and saves this song from being too melancholy and heavy.  In stark contrast, the next track, “The Sun Finally Rose,” is upbeat, optimistic and brimming with confidence.  The sheer talent that Rivard possesses in those vocal chords of his is made evident in this track and the passion in his voice is unmistakable.

“Nobody Knows” begins with hauntingly beautiful flute playing and the sweet tinkling of the piano that continues throughout the track to give this piece an aura of sadness that, coupled with the lyrics, provides the listener an insider’s perspective into the life of the woman that Rivard is singing about.  This is one of the more thought-provoking pieces on the album and it tells a sad story of unrequited love.  Wonderfully composed, this track is gentle.  Rivard once more proves that his voice is soothing to the tortured pain that resides within the people about whom he sings so soulfully in this song.

“Magdalena” is a song that Rivard sings in Spanish, which is a wonderful thing for non-Spanish speaking listeners.  This allows the listener to focus solely on the music and the range of Rivard’s vocals.  The musicianship is spectacular, the sound is flawless, and the rhythm of the Spanish language is enticing.  This proves that Rivard’s music is universal, and that the listener can enjoy it even without being fully aware of the content.  The guitar work in this piece is reminiscent of Santana and it is fantastically performed.  After the artful “Magdalena,” the listener may be a bit shocked to be shoved so rudely into the abrupt beginning of “Unfinished Songs,” but the sense of abruptness does not last long.  “Unfinished Songs” has a touch of humor to it that anyone who has ever procrastinated can understand.  There is a bit of a country music flavor to it and one may feel the urge to sway back and forth, dreaming about all those projects that once held such promise and then petered out for one reason or another.  This track will make one smile indulgently and enjoy the easy rhythm of it, right up until the end, when Rivard proves his point and leaves “Unfinished Songs” unfinished.  A brilliant touch.

The album continues on with “Lady, Sweet Lady,” which is a romantic ballad, a poem set to music.  This piece is rife with imagery that has a medieval essence, such as castles and knights and a fair lady waiting at the window for her prince to come to her.  The gentle guitar work compliments the flute perfectly and Rivard sings the words with feeling and emotion.  While listening to him perform this piece, one may get the impression that this song is one that Rivard holds very dear.  “Vuélvete” is another Spanish number that allows listeners to focus on his extraordinary voice and the composition of the song itself.  Rivard seems to let loose a bit in this song and he hits hard with his almost operatic voice.  The track flows smoothly and seamlessly to its soft end and then “This Time Around” begins with more of an upbeat tempo than Rivard has shown on the album yet.  There is a decidedly rock’n’roll vibe to this track and it’s what most would consider a dancing song.  This would be a great live number and a sure crowd pleaser.

“Sometimes Love” slows the pace down again and it begins with some beautiful acoustic guitar work.  This is another Rivard specialty; a love song that is guaranteed to touch the soft spot in the heart and stir up emotions and memories.  It’s a simple track, with nothing more than Rivard and his guitar, and that makes it all the more endearing to the listener.  “Sometimes Love” is a brilliant piece of music.  Earl J. Rivard has certainly outdone himself with this one.  “Yours Eternally” is another love song, one so sweet that it is almost unbearable.  Rivard really lays it all out there and spares nothing with regards to his feelings.  The piano work is outstanding and the lyrics are deeply touching, made even more so by Rivard’s soulful delivery.

The album closes in almost the same way it opened, with “Underground Railroad (Radio Version).”  It is not much different from the album version, aside from the fact that it is a bit shorter and one crucial word has been omitted.  A perfect way to end the album.  It is clear by the end of this album that Earl J. Rivard is a musician of the highest order and an extremely talented artist with a voice that can outlast time itself.

Review by Rhonda Readence

Reviews, Rhonda Readence Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

Earl J. Rivard, III has built a life by making the most of his gifts and not allowing roadblocks to stop him from achieving his dreams.  The Alameda, California resident has become a top-notch, highly courted performer in California in spite of being blinded and partially paralyzed as an infant by a drunk driver.  Nevertheless, Rivard showed a musical proclivity from the age of three.  His father, Earl J. Rivard, Jr. took his son under his wing, playing with Earl III until it became clear that Earl III had blossomed.  Singing in a wonderfully soulful voice in English, Spanish and Italian, Rivard breaks down barriers for others as easily as he has for himself.  Whether singing rock n roll, soul or troubadour folk, Rivard commands attention.  Rivard will soon release his sophomore album, Underground Railroad, a stunning testament to perseverance.

Underground Railroad opens with the title track, a soulful and politically-charged missive in song taking American immigration policy to task.  Rivard calls for the creation of an underground network to help those crossing from Mexico into the US to circumvent US policy, singing passionately and with conviction.  “Underground Railroad” perhaps ignores the fact that such networks already exist and continuously do battle with the limits that are in place.  Musically, the song is well written, and for a passion-perspective it’s convincing, but the inattention to detail makes the song less compelling.  “Till I Met You” is a heartfelt but languid ballad that is pretty but lacking a bit in energy.  Rivard shows two distinct sides here: in his upper range he could almost pass for a soulful Garth Brooks, but in his lower range he sounds a great deal like Taye Diggs.

“Coldest Place” is a sorrowful ballad that confirms Rivard’s weakness.  The man has an amazing voice, but on the more lyric vocal parts he tends at times to lose the energy that sustains such songs, particularly on long, slow passages.  “The Sun Finally Rose” finds Rivard turning the corner with a jubilant celebration of finding love after heartache.  Delivered as a pop/Americana tune, “The Sun Finally Rose” is great musical poetry.  On “Nobody Knows”, Rivard offers a theatrical presentation of a song about a runaway.  You’ll swear this song must have come from some obscure but promising off-Broadway musical, and Rivard’s vocal reading is impressive beyond words.

“Magdalena” finds Rivard dealing in Spanish, and offering up guitar work that’s bound to draw comparisons to the great Carlos Santana.  Wit shines through “Unfinished Songs”, a tongue-in-cheek paean to anyone who’s ever been or tried to be a songwriter.  The song is full of snarky touches from the doo-wop background singers to the somewhat predictable yet still amusing ending.  Rivard stakes his reputation on being something of a troubadour, and lives up to the billing on “Lady, Sweet Lady”.  Sounding like an arrangement that might have originated in Shakespeare’s time, “Lady, Sweet Lady” is a lovely tune that firmly establishes not only Rivard’s versatility as a performer but also his talent as a songwriter.

“This Time Around” is an opportunistic love song, a classic tune about making the best of a second chance no matter the cost, and might be the finest example of songwriting on Underground Railroad.  Rivard channels the spirit of Dan Fogelberg on “Sometimes Love”, a song all about the fragility of love.  The gorgeous melody and arrangement are matched only by the prescience of Rivard’s lyrics and his mesmerizing voice.  Rivard follows this up with “Yours Eternally”, which seems likely to be on the list of most-used first dance songs if Rivard ever gets his big break.  This is a wow moment.  Underground Railroad closes out with a radio edit of the title track.

It’s hard to imagine how Earl J. Rivard, III isn’t a household name already.  What seems very likely, however, is that he one day will be.  Whatever else you might have to say about Earl J. Rivard, it’s very clear that whatever deficits he may have suffered throughout his life seem small compared to the magnitude of both his voice and talent as a songwriter.  Underground Railroad is a thrilling experience, an album you will cherish both in spite of and for its minor flaws.  When Rivard sings, the angels stop to listen.  You will too.

Review by Wildy Haskell

Reviews, Wildy Haskell Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

If you break out of your comfort zone once this year to listen to a new artist, let that new artist be Earl. J. Rivard.  It will only take one track for him to grab you and pull you into his world.  His voice is full of passion. This is a man who could sing the phone book and people would stop and listen.

When you listen to Underground Railroad, you get to experience the full range of his vocal talents.  Earl sings songs from many genres—folk, blues, and pop, to name but a few.  It is impossible to pick a standout track on Underground Railroad, as each track is so impressive that comparing them somehow seems wrong.

“Lady Sweet Lady” shows Earl singing a Celtic-sounding folk song.  The acoustic guitar and flute arrangements on this song are particularly beautiful.  When you listen to this song, you’ll feel like you’re listening to a ballad from days of old, when actually the song is one of Earl’s original compositions.  In fact, all the songs on Underground Railroad are written by Earl, his father, or the two of them together.  It doesn’t take long to realize that these two men are excellent songwriters.  Still, songs are nothing without a voice to sing them, and with Earl J. doing the honors these songs are taken to a whole new level of beauty.

Earl’s voice is so deep and soulful that it is hard not to be moved by it, especially when he’s singing songs of love.  “Yours Eternally” has a vocal that is reminiscent of Josh Groban.  Earl’s voice soars as he conveys the song’s romantic message.

Turning the tables is “Sometimes Love,” a song that deals with the cooling embers of love that once burned brightly.  The lyrics are a haunting reflection of how delicate love is, and how easily it can be shattered and broken if not tended to properly.  When Earl sings, “Lovers need to understand, that to keep the love they’ve planned, they must learn the raging blaze to tame. For a fire can cool within the hearth or blow up in a burst of sparks,” that delicacy becomes apparent.

One of the strongest songs on the album is the title track, “Underground Railroad.”  Written by Earl Jr. and Earl J. Rivard III, the song is about laws that separate a child from their mother because if born in the United States, they are citizens but their mothers are not and are often sent back to their native lands.  The song manages to convey all the right emotions: anger, disgust, and sadness.  It starts with a preface that may offend some listeners, but the truth really shouldn’t offend.

The bluesy rocker “This Time Around” shows a more playful side to Earl’s music.  This song has an infectious beat that calls out to everyone to get up and move.  It is the least serious of the thirteen tracks that make up Underground Railroad, and it really showcases Earl’s versatility as a songwriter as well as a performer.

When you listen to “Unfinished Songs,” you instantly feel like you’re listening to a lighthearted pop tune, but give it another listen, and really listen. When you do, you’ll hear a song about the struggles of having something to say, but not being able to find the voice or words to complete the thought. The song is made even more poignant when you reach the abrupt ending.

With Underground Railroad, the world can see the many facets of Earl’s talent.  You will hear the voice that will instantly capture your heart with its power and emotion.  You’ll discover the songwriting ability that will impress even the harshest critics. This is one voice and one album that must be heard!

Review by Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad

When trying to describe musician Earl J. Rivard in one word, the perfect term to use seems to be “troubadour”.  Since he is currently following in the footsteps of his father, one could say that the talent is hereditary.  In fact, both Rivard Jr. and Rivard III collaborated to create the younger Rivard’s recently released new album of Underground Railroad.

One of the first things that makes Earl J. Rivard III a true troubadour is the fact that most of the Underground Railroad album is written in a folk music style. The songs on the album are performed with Rivard’s guitar as the main instrument, with other musicians joining in to help add texture to the songs.  Sometimes, the only musician is Rivard, just like in the song “Sometimes Love,” which features Rivard’s voice and guitar.  The simple choice on the song turns out to the best choice, as the song ultimately is one of the strongest tunes on the release.

Another reason why “troubadour” is the right word to describe Earl J. Rivard III is the fact that many of the songs written by the two Rivards, whether together or separately, are easily termed “poetry set to music”. Many of the songs on Underground Railroad actually tell a story, and many of the stories told by father and son Rivard are romantic in nature. Songs like “Till I Met You” and “The Sun Finally Rose” are written from the perspective of a man who just met a woman who took his breath away. At the same time, the aforementioned “Sometimes Love” is about the ways relationships die “a cool, lingering death,” or “ in a storm”.

With both father and son Rivard being songwriters, one of the tracks on Underground Railroad is very apropos.  As many writers often do, both Rivards must have a lot of songs that have never been completed. “Unfinished Songs” tells of that very situation that many writers must know all-too-well, and the ending of the song works very well to emphasize that point.

While the vast majority of this album was written in English, there is another side to the album. The songs “Magdalena” and “Vuelvete” were written and performed in Spanish.  The title track has to do with the way people who are here illegally are treated after being discovered. The song definitely fits into Rivard III’s persona as a troubadour, as many of the songs written by troubadours are meant to make people stop and think.

As much as Underground Railroad by Earl J. Rivard is about the pleasant voice of the singer-songwriter, as well as the talent of the musician as a guitarist, the album is also about the songs. Underground Railroad is a wonderful showcase for the songs that were written by the elder Rivard. With this album, the son has captured just a sample of the magic in the songs written by and with his father.

Review by Matheson Kamin

Matheson Kamin, Reviews Earl J. Rivard, Underground Railroad