|  Eric Johnson's “Bloom�?BR>
Its so crazy living in this world
Separating the stone and pearl
Like we do in the every day
Turn our attention this way
To ride up on the thing you do
I just walk up straight to you
Tell you what you probably know
There’s a light that always shows
Your Sweet Eyes ...
That's the first verse of a song that by all rights should be a huge hit single. If this were a better world where talent, taste, and grace were rewarded as expedentiously as the processed cheez and sleaze currently bogging up terrestial radio, you'd all be happily tapping your toes and singing along to "Your Sweet Eyes" by Eric Johnson from his recently released album, Bloom.
This Eric Johnson is THAT EJ -- the artist who delivered the album Ah Via Musicom, which generated 3 rock instrumentals charting in the top ten, as well as winning a grammy ( "Cliffs of Dover").
Currently touring with the likes of Buddy Guy and Adrian Belew (in the coming weeks with JohnnyA and he'll be sharing a bill with Robben Ford in Santa Fe) Eric is having what can reasonably be called "A Good Year" -- following up the release of a limited edition signature Martin guitar with the long anticipated EJ signature Stratocaster, (much joy in guitar player bedrooms across the globe) Bloom is the CD release fans (of which a huge proportion are musicians, quelle surprise) have been anticipating since the last studio project (Venus Isle) was released in 1996.
I can’t turn back anymore
Opportunity at my front door
Showing me I should get this way
You don’t get asked every day
Change your mind and you change
Your plans
Then your heart starts to understand
What you’ve got right next to you
Realize what’s coming through
Your Sweet Eyes
A review should do one of two things.
1. Encourage you to run out and see / buy / experience the thing that has so captured the reviewer's fancy they were moved to write a rave...
2. Confirm your vague feeling of apprehension towards something by dissuading your investment of time and money.
the choice is yours to make, but a review can help in the decision making process.
I really, really want you to get this album and listen to it. Not because I personally have any involvement in it's production or will benefit monetarilly from it's sale; but to put it simply, succinctly:
It's good. as in, sets a standard, Good.
If I hesitate to say it's Great it's only because it'll come off as hyperbole. After you get a copy and it's been living in your player non-stop for a month, if you want to run up to complete strangers and tell them how this incredible album has changed your life; cleared up your warts and made you Believe in Joy and Mankind again, feel free.
I suppose talking about the music itself wouldn't be a bad idea.
Bloom is 16 diverse tracks divided into 3 sections: Prelude, Courante, and Allemande.
Don't let the classical terms freak you out.
The Prelude section is 6 tracks -- high energy, pounding, throbbing, get up off your wintery hum-drum behind and shake that thang honey rock 'n' roll. The title track kicks it all off and sets the pace for a thorough work out, announcing itself with killer fuzz and blasting into a roar of Eric's trademark 100 pound violin tone.
yeah -- and that's just the first 20 seconds.
The compositions of the Prelude section are instrumentals except for a surprising and ferociously balls-to-the-wall cover of Bob Dylan's "My Back Pages". This ain't the Byrds, kids. This version of the song is Q.E.D. of what the hell it's really about.
From "Bloom" to "Summer Jam", tearing through "My Back Pages" into the dancing riff fest of "Good to Me", leading into "Columbia (Requiem for the astronauts)" with it's nods to great space instrumentals (requiem? More of a tribute, they should play this at the launch for Discovery) and closing with "12 to 12 Vibe" the prelude section is reason enough to get this album for your main soundtrack of the summer.
But wait! There's more!
The Courante section consists of 6 pieces: 3 songs and 3 instrumentals, each one a gem of diversity, nuance, and mastery -- if the first section showcased EJ's skills as a rock composer, the Courante showcases the man's skills as a Composer and Songwriter: ranging from Far Eastern motifs and eclectic instrumentation (“Sea Secret�? and “Cruise the Nile�? Country Picking on an utterly god-like level (“Tribute to Jerry Reed�?-- which features the bouyant and magical Adrian Legg in a guest appearance) and three exemplary original songs that show facets of EJ in a clear light where they were barely a tantalizing glimpse before.
“Sad Legacy �?is a deft examination of society's taste for mayhem as a Value -- and the effects of this de-sensitivity as a role model for the next generation; “From My Heart�?is for me the most unexpected piece: strategically placed in the fold as the 9th track of 16 is this R & B soulful ballad.
Yes. THAT Eric Johnson turns in a multilayered, blue eyed soul ballad.
Which brings us to the song that closes out the Courante section, "Your Sweet Eyes".
All I got to do when I’m sad
I just think about the times we’ve had
And all my fears just drift into space
There’s nothing that can erase
Your Sweet Eyes...
a graceful, melodic guitar introduction reminiscent of vintage Fleetwood Mac introduces the melody, and the song is sung mostly as a duet with vocalist Shawn Colvin who also provides background vocals.
It is very sweet music in a diverse musical garden of delights.
The Allemande section closes out the album with four of the most sophisticated compositions yet to appear on an Eric Johnson record: the key to the musical term's application as the third set being temperance: that is; eloquent, elegant, moderation.
There are two jazz instrumentals (“Hesitant�?and “Magetized�? the former featuring an acoustic bass and some of the fattest and smoothest guitar work I've ever heard out of a contemporary player: the latter, a progressive homage to The Electromagnets, Eric Johnson's early rock-fusion band which in my mind seems to bring around the refrain from “My Back Pages�?with a grin and glint in the eye.
The tune sandwiched between these two works is the last song of the record: a jazz ballad showing a leap in maturity and understanding of vocalise called “Sunnaround You�?-- and the final cut is a classical tinged guitar tone poem called “Ciel�? which is the French word for heaven.
Very fitting.
So that's where I've been and what I've been doing -- glutting myself on this new album. If you have the opportunity to get out and see Eric Johnson on the current tour, DO IT.
You can thank me later. =)
July - The Bloom Album Tour w/electric band
13/Wed - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC - Buy Tickets Online
14/Thu - Variety Playhouse - Altanta, GA w/ Johnny A - Buy Tickets Online
15/Fri - Nightfall Series - Chattanoga, TN
16/Sat - House of Blues - New Orleans, LA w/Johnny A
27/Wed - House Of Blues - Los Angeles, CA - Buy Tickets Online
28/Thu - Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ w/Nick Sterling
29/Fri - Santa Fe Jazz and International Festival - Santa Fe, NM w/Robben Ford - Buy Tickets Online
31/Sun - Guitar Town/Villages at Copper Mountain - Copper Mountain, CO - Buy Tickets Online
August - The Bloom Album Tour w/electric band
12/Fri - Granada Theatre - Dallas, TX - Buy Tickets Online
13/Sat - Granada Theatre - Dallas, TX - Buy Tickets Online
14/Sun - George's Majestic Lounge - Fayetteville, AR
16/Tue - Juanita's - Little Rock, AR - Buy Tickets Online
18/Thu - Grant Street Dance Hall - Lafayette, LA
19/Fri - Antone's - Beaumont, TX
20/Sat - James Burton Guitar Festival - Shreveport, LA
21/Sun - Zoo Amphitheatre - Oklahoma City, OK - Buy Tickets Online
25/Thu - Club V - Houston, TX w/Adrian Belew
26/Fri - Sunset Station - San Antonio, TX w/Adrian Belew - Buy Tickets Online
27/Sat - UT's Hogg Auditorium - Austin, TX w/Adrian Belew - NO SERVICE CHARGE FOR TICKETS PURCHASED AT ERWIN CENTER BOX OFFICE.
October - The Bloom Album Tour w/electric band
11/Tue - O-East - Tokyo, Japan
12/Wed - O-East - Tokyo, Japan
13/Thu - Bottom Line - Nagoya, Japan
14/Fri - Club Quattro - Osaka, Japan
One other thing -- You Have to listen to this recording through headphones.
I am little Miss Curl-Up-And-Unspool-In-The-Headphones.
Audio Immersion: my drug of choice.
As terrific as Bloom is cranked through the house system: there are incredible, intimate vocal effects and drop ins, layers of textures, sound stratas and channel swirl stuff you are only going to pick up with direct injection via headphones.
It is acutely nuanced.
sheesh. Musical Pointillism. =)
if you'll excuse me, it's feeding time...
There’s a star in the northern sky
Captivating me as I walk by
Showing me what I can become
Leave behind what is lost or won
Something’s different with me, can you see
The truth is starting to come out of me
As I think about the hope I feel
I leave behind the world for something real
Your Sweet Eyes�?/FONT>
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