Chattanooga local and active touring musician Eric "E.T." Turner is a veteran of the local music scene, and is known typically for his solo acoustic sets, covers, and a unique, genre-bending sound.
He has released a new album, entitled “For All the People Too,” that is not typical for him and is a side project born out of experimenting with beats.
The eight-track album is a blend of funk, hip-hop, and alternative grunge. There’s a lot of heavy bass, electric drums, and a variety of other instruments that, when brought together, make a uniquely lo-fi sound.
Turner will be the first to say that this is not typically the type of music he creates, but that this album was a departure for him and meant to be listened to in one full sitting.
“The album is nothing like what I usually play. It's a side project born out of a side project experimenting with making beats,” Turner explained. "'[The album] is 28 minutes all told and is made to be a front-to-back listen, especially while driving. That's what I wanted to make, an album that could be enjoyed on a long drive."
The first track is a skit featuring the producer of the album and a guest on each track, Derrtie, which seamlessly flows into the second track, “Obey the Way.”
“Obey the Way” eases you in with a dazzling guitar riff and confronting lyrics. “It’s been so long since I’ve heard you say, ‘Live your life and live it your way.’” There’s a hypnotic, trance-inducing state to the guitar, and the lyrics offer up a rebellious attitude towards the powers that be.
There’s a clear passion in the creation of this album and in the sound that showcases Turner’s intention to make something ambitious and different.
On tracks like “Groovin,” there is an exploration of the fleeting nature of time. “My time, it won’t stand still, so I keep moving. My time, it wants to kill me, so I keep groovin." All of this is mixed with a rocking guitar and a funk sound that is perfect for a long car ride.
On “Move,” Turner is confronting how hard it is to make a decision sometimes and how difficult it can feel being stuck. “You don’t want to move, you don’t want to stay, you don’t want to move, and that’s okay.” There is a psychedelic sound to this track that feels at once like a trip and a meditation on battling anxiety in our modern world.
While the album is mostly lo-fi, it is an ambitious effort from Eric Turner and his producer, Derrtie, showcasing his eclectic, genre-bending sound that combines elements of funk, grunge, rap, and reggae with lyrics that aim to explore non-conformity and rebellion with a positive message.
“For All the People Too” was released on July 25th and is available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube to stream and is also available on Bandcamp at acousticet.bandcamp.com/album/for-all-the-people-too.