REVIEWS
Raves for
Cornerstone
* * * * * Best of the Month, February ‘98. “Each song on this perfect little pearl of a record has something to commend it. In a better world you’d be hearing it daily on the radio and seeing it prominently displayed in the corporate record chains...his songs unfurl with a minor-key, folk-rockish urgency. A fount of feeling that’s rare in this age of cynical self-containment fairly gushes from him.”
-Stereo Review
“Heyman is at the height of his creative powers, which he demonstrates on the ultra-solid, infectious Cornerstone. Cornerstone is full of memorable compositions...Some major label should pick up this album, while some smart non-writing artists should search here for covers. Somebody ought to be having hits with songs this haunting.”
-Rolling Stone Reviews
“All those who devote themselves to the pursuit of pure pop pleasures will find no better album this year than this latest disc by Richard X. Heyman. It is, in fact, a musical time machine that transports its listeners back to an era when melody really mattered and a three minute single often measured up as a musical masterpiece. Heyman comes across as a rock’n’roll savior, one who’s carefully absorbed the influences of many a forebear and crafted a sound so affecting and engaging it ought to be required listening for radio programmers everywhere.”
-Goldmine
“Every song on this LP is a winner; it's really hard to pick a favorite! With Heyman's beautiful voice, memorable melodies and top-notch musicianship, Cornerstone reminds us of a time long past, before rock & roll had splintered into so many ‘formats’. Breathtaking!”
-Album Network
“A monument to sturdy songcraft. This East Coast tunesmith, singer, producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist is something of an underground power-pop legend, but Cornerstone outstrips his past triumphs with heartfelt melodies and sweeping, elegant arrangements...Heyman’s soulful, earthy vocals and simply killer tunes never fail to enchant. X marks the spot.”
-Hits Magazine
“The real beauty of Heyman’s talent is that he produces the best kind of pure pop; each song is unencumbered by pretense and doesn’t deviate from its goal of producing one juicy hook after another...Although the influences are clear, Heyman never sounds like he’s trying to imitate anyone. He has his own sound...Songs like “Cornerstone”, “All I Have” and “When She Arrives” will float your pop boat.”
-CMJ
"Cornerstone was worth the wait -- every glorious, hook filled, guitar twanged, pop/rock melodious minute of it., hook after delicious hook."
-The Tracking Angle
“Heyman is a tragically under-recognized pop genius. His new Cornerstone (Permanent Press) is blessed with effortlessly giddy refrains, and melodies that will help you remember what drew you to pop music in the first place.”
-Philadelphia Inquirer
“In Richard X. Heyman, we have an artist who can do it all: write (there is no more consistent tunesmith in pop), sing (a classic voice, clearly the result of someone who’s been weaned on all the right records), demonstrate musical virtuosity (plays about every damn instrument well!), and, yes, produce those elusive sounds in his head on tape (every song is filled with wonderful instrumental nuances which would make Brian Wilson proud). This record is an embarrassment of riches -- Rock and Roll just doesn’t get any better than this. There may be no other artist who better connects words and music to convey emotions...With Cornerstone, Richard X. Heyman has taken his art to an even higher level than before, kicking down every musical door in his way. Buy this record if you still care about the things that made you like Rock and Roll in the first place.”
-Amplifier Magazine
"Critics' Poll, The Year In Music 1998, Top Ten".
-Billboard
"Boom! It's Richard X. Heyman exploding in a controlled frenzy of jangly guitars and pop harmonies. His music is something you honestly look forward to listening to."
"* * * * * An immensely talented, bright, multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter /producer with unerring pop instincts that are based on sturdy tradition while still sounding amazingly fresh...Heyman writes such terrific songs, full of yearning, romantic -- but never saccharine -- images and engaging melodies...these 14 songs are full of countless indescribable, seemingly effortless moments -- sometimes lyrical, other times melodic, instrumental or vocal -- that characterize ageless pop, moments of jaw-dropping perfection and beauty.”
-Lincoln Journal Star
“* * * * * Reaches pop’s most deliriously dizzy heights...with choruses that melt grooves through your head and classy production...This would be a deeply impressive pop record even if the lyrics were trite or overly familiar, but RXH is a strong storyteller and his careful observations on loves found and lost ring true...Cornerstone is a triumph of the pop form.
-KMR#28
“Heyman is a multi-instrumental virtuoso. The tunes on Cornerstone are overwhelming -- hook after hook after hook, soaring and diving and cascading around your ears in an embarrassment of melodiousness. Every song is meticulously arranged, with gorgeous jingle-jangle guitars, various effects and stacks upon stacks of vocal harmonies all perfectly placed. If you don’t find yourself humming something from this record afterward, you’d better check your pulse.”
-The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)
“In pure pop circles, Richard X. Heyman has cult status to spare...You don’t have to be a retro lover to fall for this album...Heyman’s got so many hooks happening at once that he makes it all sound easy, and that’s one sure sign of a real talent.”
-Union-News Sunday Republican
“His latest, Cornerstone, is a gem. Heyman, the grand vizier of local pop, is one of New York City’s most underrated talents.”
-Time Out
“His catchy tunes are an exhilarating gust of fresh air.”
-The Orange County Register
“Cornerstone is wonderful and easily the best thing he’s ever done. A tightly focused set of instant classic tracks. It’s the kind of record that makes you want to get up in the morning and run into the day...It’s not just glossy radio fodder, in fact it’s nothing less than the drama of human life.”
-Hearsay Magazine (UK)
“To say he succeeded with the new project would be an understatement; Cornerstone is not only the best record he’s made, it’s a stunning piece of work by anyone’s standards. Cornerstone, like all of his work, is lyrically deep, musically exciting, and reaffirms what many have known all along -- Richard X. Heyman is on the very short list of great songwriters.”
-Pop Culture Press
“Emotionally charged songs...Cornerstone is an earnest and powerful record that has a depth and substance...All of the pop ‘virtuosos’ should give this one a good listen before they ‘make’ their own.”
-Entertainment Today
“Heyman is an enviably talented musician, songwriter and singer...Sublime guitar playing, bass, keyboards and drumming abound, but for once it's the lyrical interplay and the quality of the production which sit up and beg to be noticed. Cornerstone...deserves your support.”
-Ptolemaic Terrascope (UK)
“Exquisite power-pop courtesy of this grade-A tunesmith. His sound is thoroughly his own. And incessantly hummable.”
-The Skinny On Music
“It’s hard to make layered, home-made pop sound so fresh and alive, but Heyman succeeds on the basis of his richly detailed songs. Cornerstone transcends its influences even as he demonstrates how much he has learned from groups like the Beach Boys, Beatles and Kinks.”
-Hartford Couran