The bridge between the Heart and Soul albums, the mini-LP & isnt quite an afterthought or departure. Its merely a bonus EP given to members of the Church Choir -- the name of Eric Churchs fan club -- between the releases of Heart and Soul, containing six songs from the same North Carolina sessions that produced the two other LPs. Like its parent albums, & benefits from Churchs assured craft and the easy authority of his band, who sound as convincing on the slow-burning Doing Life with Me as they do on the straight-up funk Do Side. If none of the six songs here feel monumental -- apart from the aforementioned Do Side and the steady crescendo of Lone Wolf, everything here is so low-key it could be called subdued -- theyre all quite appealing, modest yet finely crafted tunes that are meant to endure. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Rovi