A singer-songwriter based out of California, Eric H. F. Law takes the classic storytelling folk of Jackson Browne and Bob Dylan and grafts it onto his latest album, Recreate_, a concept of sorts that deals with the contemporary world. Law certainly tackles the heaviest issues of the day from the January 6th insurrection to racial hatred, but it’s all approached with the perspective of love and the belief in the ability to fix what’s going wrong. Some may say this perspective is naïve, but it speaks to the power of the musician’s ability that very few people could pull off what he manages so effortlessly and charmingly.
Despite the namechecks of the numerous problems going on in the world, Recreate is not a dreary listen. In fact, it’s actually uplifting, and by the end Law makes the listener believe change and a positive future are all extremely possible. There are actually some songs where he points to things that are going well like “Hands On My Shoulder,” his ode to president Joe Biden, whereas “Slow Me Down” begs the listener to stop and enjoy what is right in front of them. Recreate is not blindly optimistic, but it is an infectious burst of compassion from a voice that is so needed in this moment.
