The acoustics were amazing, and the concert felt way more intimate than I would have ever expected. We saw him at the Tillman Auditorium in Clemson, and it was the PERFECT place to see him. So, I actually got to meet Edwin McCain at a charity golf tournament last year, but I’d never had a chance to see him in concert until now so when one of my friends got tickets, I jumped at the chance. Stennis, whilst it was on a Western Pacific deployment in Guam. Unfortunately, between the release of “Lost in America” in 2006 and “Mercy Bound”, McCain didn’t have any commercial success, but he still tours nationally, including performing on board USS John C. Still on the Atlantic Record Label, McCain released the album “Far From Over” which unfortunately didn’t make it into the top 100, but it did however, feature the single “Hearts Fall” which made it to number 27 on the Adult Contemporary charts. It featured the hit single written by Dianne Warren, “I Could Not Ask for More” which reached number 37 in the Billboard Hot 100. On June 15th 1999, Edwin McCain released the album “Messenger” which made it to number 59 in the Billboard 200. The song has since been featured in the TV show “Higher Ground” and the motion picture, A Cinderella Story. The album went to number 73 on the Billboard 200 chart, and spawned the hit single “I’ll Be” which made it to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. He released his second album, “Misguided Roses” On June 24th 1997. He entered the studio the same year to record his debut major label release, “Honor Among Thieves” on the same division, “Lava Records” as Matchbox Twenty, Kid Rock and Jewel. This fortunately led to him attracting the attention of Atlantic Records, whom he signed with in 1994. Like your favorite bar band, Edwin McCain will be there every Friday night and that is quite alright with me.McCain’s career started out when he embarked on a tour with Hootie and the Blowfish. He embodies the kind of Southern charm and sensitivity that makes the ladies swoon. My guess is that a younger Edwin McCain might have had a chance at winning American Idol. The band is tight and the live take feel compensates for the mediocre arrangements. The production on Mercy Bound is not as polished as other McCain releases, but that does not hamper the music. Craig Shields, Larry Chaney, Markeya Sherard and Jason Pomar are, no doubt, the ingredients that make McCain’s live show tick. In spite of the weakness of the songwriting, McCain’s longtime band mates are still in fine form. The remainder of the tracks never launch beyond the mediocrity that may be a comfort for long time fans. Another solid hook can be found on the laid-back “Better Story to Tell” and “Uncharted” is a duet that showcases some of the strengths of the shared songwriting. The first track, “The Boy Who Cried Love”, is being pitched as the radio single, but a track like “Boom” is both musically and emotionally more interesting. Most of the tracks on Mercy Bound also lack memorable pop hooks that take the listener to new places musically. He is at his best when his voice is at its most soulful, like when it is accompanied by Warren Haynes’ guitar on the stripped down track “The Lucky One”. But Mercy Bound also lacks the emotional directness and singable hooks of other McCain penned tunes. The lyrics are a good match for the music and possess an overall story-like quality that does justice to the collaboration. The joint effort has resulted in a nice album that works on several levels. This time around marks a full-length collaboration with fellow singer-songwriter, Maia Sharp. Mercy Bound is McCain’s 10th album and his first to be released on 429 Records. A working man’s pop-rock talent with sultry whiskey vocals to boot. America, let’s not forget that before there was Lee DeWyze or David Cook, of American Idol fame, there was Edwin McCain. I dare say that all of us have been exposed (even if unwillingly) to McCain’s wedding hit “I’ll Be” or have sung along to the lyrics, “These are the moments / I thank God that I’m alive / And these are the moments / I’ll remember all my life”, from “I Could Not Ask For More”. A steady touring schedule and some successful mid-tempo hits keep his crew in demand as a better-than-average bar band. Mostly skirting the mainstream, he has carved out a consistent career as a pop-rock troubadour with a knack for wedding songs. Southern singer-songwriter Edwin McCain has always been that kind of meat and potatoes musician. Who doesn’t enjoy cranking up a soft rock hit on a hot summer afternoon? There is something about four chords, light distortion, and a good pop hook. I used to be a Hootie and the Blowfish fan.
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