Album Notes

Just barely twenty-one, Eugene, OR based Tyler Fortier's first studio album "When the Sun Hits the Water" showcases an artist with great potential, sounding years beyond his age.
Originally from Camas, WA Fortier has been in Eugene for the last couple years playing as a solo acoustic artist. On his studio album, produced by Thaddeus Moore at Sprout City Studios in Eugene he offers up a full band effort. Though still including some mostly acoustic songs like "Losing You," many instruments can be heard throughout the album, including pedal steels, mandolins, cellos, harmonicas and piano which create a rich sound and Fortier's Ryan Adams influenced voice drives most of the songs. Lyrically, Fortier is prone to clichés like "all you need is love," "candle in the wind" and "we're all brothers after all" which he pulls off because of his rich voice and music. The infectious "Walking Blocks," with its blaring harmonica lines and guitar solo, is the album's standout track and the likely choice for a single.
Because he's still young, songs that could come off as sappy like "A Letter Home" instead come off as honest and heartfelt. Fortier is wise for his age and hopefully his potential will come to fruition in next few years. "When the Sun Hits the Water" is an impressive debut for the artist, both in content and in production. It really doesn't get better than on the opening title track's bridge where Fortier suggests "let's forget about life for a while."

-Dane Sundseth of Minute Morning Magazine
www.mintuemorning.com