Americana singer-songwriter Eric Bolander weathered his own emotional firestorm with his 2019 record The Wind, and now stands poised to release his latest LP Can’t Get There From Here. Bolander released four singles in between albums — two in 2020 and another pair in 2021 — as he placed the finishing touches on the new record with longtime producer & collaborator Duane Lundy (Ringo Starr, Jim James, Sturgill Simpson).
Sonically, Bolander’s music gallops through the crossroads of John Moreland and Bruce Springsteen (circa Devils & Dust), from rollicking explorations of struggle and its broken remnants to bitter, cynical prayers. Single “Cold Men” might be his most heartfelt, gutting tale of the Appalachian struggle to date, and it’s a tune that could only be penned by lived experiences.
Bolander’s sensitivity to the human condition stems primarily from humble roots in the small eastern Kentucky town of Garrison, stretching at the edge of the Appalachian foothills and running along the Ohio River Valley. Growing up in a low income household instilled within him a sense of hard work and fighting for what he wanted in life. His mother was a homemaker (whose family had ties to several bluegrass legends) and his father a union carpenter and construction worker, both pivotal forces behind his early development.
Bolander didn’t get around to actively pursuing a music career until his freshman year of college. A lifelong close friend had a guitar and would occasionally show him various chord structures. Soon, Bolander snagged a cheap Ibanez electric guitar, and later a cheap Dean acoustic guitar to learn on. Stricken with an ache for live performance, he began jamming around town in various collectives, but again, it took him some time before he made the decision to step up to the microphone himself.
In his spare time, he began to scrawl down various lyrics or melodies for potential material for the band, but his sensibilities were leaning quite heavily into the blues-folk arena, a mold that didn’t quite satiate his metal or rock status. His first EP, Unapologetic, emerged from those songwriting sessions, and it was quickly evident he needed to branch off on his own, permanently.
His first proper full-length album, Postcards to Myself, arrived in 2016, further blurring the lines between his brawny rock-country blend. As you can already surmise, Bolander’s influences run far and wide, from the thick grunge-rock of Alice in Chains and SoundGarden to the rootsy traditions of Don Williams, Earl Thomas Conley, Keith Whitley and George Jones. He contributes his biggest contemporary influence to John Moreland.
Now an art teacher by day and guitar-slinger by night, Bolander gallops ferociously into the countryside with his sweeping Americana record. 2019’s The Wind was at its very core a collection of authentic outlaw country tunes, and the songs on Can’t Get There From Here aim to carry that torch ever further — or “Closer to That Flame”, as those familiar with this Kentucky crooner might say.
“Has no problem cutting straight to the cold, hard truth in the soul-stirring country ballads he spins.”
— Holler.Country
“Bolander has always had a knack for combing rootsier styles and sensibilities, zipping from John Moreland to Earl Thomas Conley to Appalachian traditions.”
— American Songwriter
“Tackles adversity…showcasing pure resilience.”
— Americana Music Association
“Vocal harmonies that are out of this world and lyrics that are emotional and beautiful.”
— The Amp
“Unforgettable story-telling skills.”
— AmericanaUK
“Truly captivating…powerful…atmospheric, raw Americana often infused with rock and symphonic elements.”
— FolkConnection
PUBLICIST: Frank Keith