Eric Dodd debuts album Heal

Very rarely does a reviewer get the treat of listening to an album packed with so much youthful energy, yet The Eric Dodd Band, a three-piece rock outfit from Athens, has crafted a niche in acoustic southern rock with their studio debut.

The band's self-released album, Heal, contains a smattering of themes that resonate strongly with anyone who has experienced the emotional deluge connected to the coming of age-love, lust, nostalgia, heartbreak and regret pervade the album-but the overarching theme is hope and optimism for the future.

"The album is titled Heal because the songs are all about healing. They're about searching for peace and overcoming fear," said frontman Eric Dodd.

Dodd, who wrote all of the songs on the album, involved himself with music at an early age.

"I learned to play guitar when I was twelve; I grew up around musicians and listening to Nirvana," Dodd said.

The album starts off with the energetic "One Night," featuring a combination of smooth vocals and seductive guitar that'll keep your head bouncing all the way through. "Goodbye Kiss," a song about separated lovers, follows suit with another catchy melody.

Dodd's songwriting talent is showcased strongly in "What I See," the most desperate and emotional track on the album. The song's mood is darker than the rest of the album, but its nature as a standout track shows that the band is capable of expanding stylistically beyond a traditional acoustic rock formula. Dodd cites Van Morrison and Edwin McCain as major musical influences.

The album's catchiest and most memorable track is the nostalgic "Georgia Grove," a classic story of reminiscing about teenage love and "all those summers...under the moon." Another track, "7 to 6," similarly carries the full energy of the album and shows off Dodd's impressive vocal range. "4 of a Kind" cleverly uses a playing card metaphor in a song about winning over a reluctant love interest.

"The songs are something everybody can relate to...there's a lot of nostalgia. Like in 'Georgia Grove,' memories of that first teenage love never really fade away," Dodd said.

Above all else, Heal, as in its closing track, "Angels of Hope," overflows with sentimentality, and its hopeful themes will resound with the young and old alike.

The Eric Dodd Band's album Heal is set for release on Nov. 8. There will be an album release party at Tasty World in Athens. More information and sample tracks can be found on The Eric Dodd Band's website, www.myspace.com/ericdoddband.