"The charm of the vocal ('Took Her To The Moon') is equaled only by the splendidly jaunty accompaniment and the totally clever lyric"

-Robert K. Oermann, Music Row Magazine

 

"Gravity distills away the caricatured elements of country music that have misinformed so many people, and celebrates the art of writing simple, compelling songs."

-Taylor Guitars, Discover The Indies

 

"Now, after all these years, he steps to the forefront with his own debut album...and not surprisingly it is filled with musical gems."  

-Larry Delaney, Country Music News

 

"This CD demonstrates that no amount of studio gimmickry or big budget production tricks can improve upon a well-crafted song that is performed in a straight-forward manner. I only wish that more contemporary country music was as honest." 

-Steven Stone, Vintage Guitar Magazine

 

"Delivered with thoughtful dispassion, Hill's lyrics are complemented by a spare guitar and understated bass slaps......Hill excels at a kind of lyrical enjambment that causes songs to become entangled in one's mind..."

- Clarissa Sansone, Country Standard Time

 

"Byron Hill's new album is the perfect example of finely crafted songs possessing wit, character and tunefulness presented with excellent musicianship and style.  Highly recommended!"

- Sonny Thomas, Fiddle & Bow, Winston-Salem, NC

 

"His affinity for those character songs shows....'Took Her To The Moon' is a good example....Hill's understated vocals accompanied by spare acoustic instrumentation bring out the tongue-in-cheek humor of the song."

- George Olsen, Max Magazine, Jacksonville, NC

 

"With a voice sounding like a cross between Guy Clark and Don Williams at their peak, Byron Hill is certainly a welcome addition to the singer/songwriter scene."

- Jim Marshall, British Country Music Association (BCMA) Magazine

 

"...one of the finest recordings we've played this year..."

-Lluis Sala, La Diligencia, Ona Catalana, Girona, SPAIN

 

"Hill’s deep, warm baritone is immediately inviting. Sit back, relax, and mellow out as he spins superbly crafted tales of remorse, betrayal, emotional debt, love gone right, and love gone bad.....Gravity combines the best of “New Age” sensitivity and down home country simplicity. Its sparse, acoustic sound is a welcome respite from the wealth of over-produced albums issued on Music Row today."

-Laurie Paulik, (for CountryCharts.com), Published by Mountain West Music.

 

"Byron's wonderful melodies and voice will easily find a place on my play-list".

- Michel PENARD, Radio ISA, Lhuis, FRANCE

 

"That Hill has elected not to have any percussion and has used a standup bass over the fretted kind...in other words,...an unplugged set...has given the album an intimate feel, reinforced by Hill's warm, gentle vocals, and one almost feels as if attending a guitar pull or a songwriter's night."

-Jon Philibert, Country Music People Magazine (UK)

 

"Wow! This is some of the best songwriting I've heard. While this is Byron Hill's first album as a singer, he's been a songwriter for years and his talent and skill are amply demonstrated in Gravity ... and other things that keep you down to Earth, set off by his warm resonant voice."

-Amanda Fisher, Rambles, Cultural Arts Magazine

 

"Throughout this excellent disc..Hill's warm and fuzzy voice enriches the melodies and brings home the content of each song in near-perfect fashion.  This is definitely a deserted island disc, and one that is getting increasing difficult to remove from the CD player."

-Michael Clark, The Loafer, Kingsport, TN

 

"...the kind of distinctive country talent that Nashville should be (but sadly, is not) rushing to record."

-John Lupton, Sing Out!

 

"Byron´s smooth baritone with a bit of a rough edge is naturally expressive and beautiful, and a pleasure to listen to. Singing harmonies as well is like double fudge ice cream with nuts and swirls - double the pleasure."

-Guntram Gudowius, Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange

 

"Byron Hill is a Nashville songwriter who has been covered by a "who's who" of country artists.  It's no wonder his first album is full of solidly crafted songs that are as warm and melodic as they are enjoyable."

-JLe, Dirty Linen

 

"This is a good CD that really deserves to be in every country fans collection."

- Smålands COUNTRY CLUB (Newspaper) Vimmerby, SWEDEN, 2001, by Christer Sjöblad

 

"Hill's distinct tenor provides rich vocals on the album, dominated by slow songs and acoustic guitar. It has a simple appeal, and Hill's percussion-free tunes are qualified to be soothing bedtime favorites."

- THE DAILY TARHEEL, University of North Carolina, Carmen Woodruff-Staff Writer

 

"Hill's warm, workmanlike voice – which often recalls Don Williams – wraps itself around songs about love in all its various phases. Sometimes, he's falling head over heels – looking at his lover through “Eyes of Wonder,” marveling at his own giddiness (“That's What Love Will Make You Do”), or realizing that his days of searching are over (“Love's in the Here and Now”). More often, he plays the confounded and the left-behind. He wishes he had left a “Trail of String” when he walked out on her, dreams of locking a cheater up for her “Serious Crime,” goes into a post-breakup nosedive on “Gravity".....Throughout, the instrumentation is tastefully sparse, a mix of acoustic guitar, upright bass, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, and harmonica in which every note means something and the playing is sharp but never showy. The music accents rather than overshadows Hill's smart, unadorned lyricism and natural sense of melody. It might not be great driving music, but it's perfect for a lazy day in the hammock.

- John Maglite, COUNTRY, CALIFORNIA, www.countrycalifornia.com/