Class of 98 by Eric Hutchinson | Album Review
Eric Hutchinson throws us back to the alt-rock sound of the 90s on his 2020 release.
I first remember hearing Eric Hutchinson’s music when VH1 used to have their You Oughta Know artist spotlight. The channel promoted his break-out reggae-infused single “Rock & Roll.” The song was perfect for indie-pop radio at the time. He had fallen completely off my radar after hearing that song. I didn’t know that Hutchinson had been steadily releasing various works since that debut project. His catalog includes pop, jazz, blues, and singer/songwriter projects that show his range. The album that stood out to me is his alt-rock-influenced 2020 release Class of 98. Eric enlisted former Soul Asylum guitarist Justin Sharbono to give the album its unique 90s alt-rock edge. He told Broadway World that the project allowed him to take a more nuanced look at his youth:
“Writing this record allowed me to get into the time machine and go back and look around my old life and report from my current point of view. That was fun.” — Eric Hutchinson via Broadway World (2020)
The opening track, “Rock Out Tonight,” immediately sets us back in time to when alt-rock was king on the radio. Eric navigates this sound smoothly. The bright, energetic guitar work invigorates his pop-savvy, charismatic vocal performance. He brings me back to the old haunts of my teenage years through some of the imagery brought up in the verses, “If you wanna rock out tonight/ There’s nobody who can do it better/ Have you ever been to Rockville Pike?/ We could walk around the Tower Records.” This sense of youthful confidence that Hutchinson can connect with perfectly feels as if we’re back in time with him.
“Cooler Than You” floods me with the nostalgia of listening to early Weezer albums in the latter half of high school. Hutchinson tears from the mellow chug of the verses into the ragged, anthemic roar of the chorus effortlessly. Eric’s words reach back to the outcasts of school to show them that their time in the sun is coming, “You may be on fire now/ And I may be a goddamn fool/ You may win today but when I think it through/ Nobody knows it yet/ But I am cooler than you.” The nerd-to-rock star aura champions the connection to Weezer’s Blue Album aesthetic. His sound remains in a lane all its own that makes for a listen that scratches the nostalgic and modern itch.
Hutchinson stirs up a current through the driving beat that kicks off “My Old Man.” We firmly stay within the realms of pop-rock with an added sense of sentimental flair brought out by Eric’s acoustic guitar. It’s a touching moment of appreciation towards his father, “I could never try to be the one to tell your story/ And I could never try to be the one to to tell your tale/ And I could never try to be the one to sell your glory/ And I could never try to be the one to walk your trail/ My old man/ He does the best he can/ Now he’s free/ My old man.” Because of the song’s treatment, it feels like it was written in his youth as a way to by tribute to him.
“Ann Marie” captures the pain of a one-sided love that you can’t reconcile in your youth. Its depressive tone is wrapped in the lazy acoustic guitar tuned to open D, hung electric guitar notes, and dramatic organ. Eric’s pouring his soul out to a girl that doesn’t see him in the same light, “When we are together/ I can tell you’ll come around/ We both like Wu Tang and R.E.M./ Matthew is my pal/ But he’s out there fooling around/ I’ll choose love over some sorry friend/ Ann Marie/ You’re everything I need but you don’t understand.” Hutchinson can bring out teenage heartbreak in such a way you can almost taste it.
“Good Things Come” brings back a feeling of hope. All of this is locked in the ascending melody that pulls us from the doldrums we are in. Eric takes what could feel like a cliche and makes it feel more poignant as he tries to remind us to be patient, “Don’t cry, it’s a deal/ It’s whatever you feel/ Baby, be patient/ Good things come to those who wait/ Do as I say and not as I do/ I can get a grip if you get one too/ Patience is a skill you will find not just a virtue/ Good things come to those who wait.” I like it allows us to release some tension while providing the listener some space to absorb his words. Hutchinson keeps the song concise which keeps it from overstaying its welcome.
“Sweet Little Baby Rock N Roller” sticks out a bit compared to the pop-rock sounds that came before it. Its bluesy sound comes through its muffled guitar and electric keys. Eric pens an ode to the aging headbangers of his childhood, “Sweet little baby rock n roller/ You used to be cool now you’re getting colder/ You wear your long hair down past your shoulders/ Sweet little baby rock n roller.” I appreciate this change in sound as the continual repetition of a similar sound could become tiring. Though it is a bit a of change in style, the track has grown on me with each listen.
Hutchinson goes completely pop-rock on “If They Don’t Care (The We Don’t Either).” The bright, clean guitar tone that envelopes the entire song brings me back to the early 2000s. Eric pens a middle finger to the adults who don’t understand the troubles of his youth, “Oh we made a mess/ Can’t do nothing right I guess/ Too late to undo what we have almost done/ Try to play it cool/ While we’re flunking out of school/ Cuz if they don’t care then we don’t either.” The darker edge that comes alongside the song’s chorus gives me Queens of the Stone Age vibes. I do feel that the song feels a little disjointed between its sound and lyrical content.
“Drunk At Lunch” takes us back to the 90s rock sound that coated the front half of the record. I like the introspective tone that Eric takes around some of his prior bad choices, “What’s with my friends these days they’re so impulsive/ They’ve gotten such rebellious needs/ I miss the days when we could just watch movies/ Now that’s only if we smoke weed… I’m just depressed and prone to the peer pressure/ Or maybe I need some new friends.” The juxtaposition between the pop-rock sound and the tale of wanting to do better than just get intoxicated is a welcomed twist. It fits this outcast trying to fit in a vibe that runs through this project.
“Lovely Lori” is the only ballad on the album. Eric takes a humorous spin on the tried and true ode to love. The beginning leads you to think he has eyes for only Lori when all the other names start to come in further down the line, “Brittany and Whitney, Jessica Lee/ Angela, Ashley, Desiree/ Leah, Maria and Emily/ I love you more than I can say.” Again, this fits the theme that Hutchinson has been threading throughout this project. It’s not my favorite, but I do find continuous confessions of love funny and a good way to add to the creep factor of this outcast teenage experience.
The album closes with some solid garage rock on “Whether I Like It or Not.” I thoroughly enjoy the hook, “No way out, no-no-no way out/No way out, no-no-no way out without you.” Its rock revival sound brings to mind bands like The Strokes or Muse. Hutchinson speaks on the push and pull of a relationship that has you ready to leave one minute and magnetized right by their side the next. Calling back to the hidden tracks of prior decades, the song ends with a humorous tale of a girlfriend that suddenly gone vegan. This change in sound a little bonus surprise at the end is a great way to close out a record that takes its listeners back in time to the mid/late 90s.
Hutchinson took me right back to the alt-rock/pop-punk sounds of my youth with this album. Each song felt authentic to the autobiographical nature that he was going for. You felt as if you were right back in the shoes of a high schooler who was unsure of the world around him and shaken by the weight of peer pressure, social cliques, and teenage heartbreak. That’s what sold me on this entire project. His writing and performance throughout this album take you back in time beautifully. It never felt try hard or formulaic. The more I have dived into Eric’s discography, the more impressed I am with his ability to lean into whatever genre he chooses to experiment with. If you are looking for something that brings back memories of Weezer and Green Day, give this album a listen. My overall thoughts on Class of 98:
Loved it: “Rock Out Tonight”, “Cooler Than You”, “Ann Marie”, “Good Things Come”, “Sweet Little Baby Rock N Roller”, “Drunk At Lunch” & “Whether I Like It or Not”
Liked it: “My Old Man”, “If They Don’t Care (The We Don’t Either)” & “Lovely Lori”
Disliked it: None
My overall rating: 8.5 out of 10.
