The Apprentice began around 2003 as a solo project by Eric DeLong, who was taking a break from playing in metal-hardcore bands in the Huntington-Ashland, Kentucky area. His first album, The Epic Struggle tasted of the common Dashboard Confessional-inspired acoustic pop emo style of the year. Come 2004, Eric recruited a full band, started playing shows, and began to carve out a more personal sound - taking influence from the artists he cared about such as Johnny Cash and Pedro the Lion. In doing so, he wrote the songs for 2005's An American Portrait - a concept album about "a typical American family dealing with the struggles of living in a culture where making money and a hot body is the pinnacle of life."
Like the emotional ups and downs of the typical family at the heart of the album, the songs of An American Portrait go from reflective and intimate on its opening track "We Were Just Eighteen" to playful and bittersweet like "Cocaine and Whiskey." An American Portrait has proved to be a re-starting block for The Apprentice. It took the band - now full-time and based out of Evansville, Indiana - on its current musical course of an Americana indie pop rock melting pot.
Artist: The Apprentice.
Album: An American Portrait.
Year: 2005.
For Fans Of: Ryan Adams, Pedro the Lion, The National.
* This record is still available for purchase via mp3, so if you like it, buy it, or The Apprentice merchandise from FDRshop.com.
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