MSN Home  |  My MSN  |  Hotmail
Sign in to Windows Live ID Web Search:   
go to MSNGroups 
Free Forum Hosting
 
Important Announcement Important Announcement
The MSN Groups service will close in February 2009. You can move your group to Multiply, MSN’s partner for online groups. Learn More
wit and sarcasamContains "mature" content, but not necessarily adult.[email protected] 
  
What's New
  
  wit & sarcasam  
  Return to WSAM  
  General  
  Messages  
  Flirty's Sigs  
  UK Celebrity Events  
  The Office  
  INFORMATION  
  Pictures  
  Renegade Arts  
  Hawk and Fairy  
  Dr. Seymon Fraud Index  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 01  
  Dr.Seymon Fraud 02  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 03  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 04  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 05  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 06  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 07  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 08  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 09  
  Dr Seymon Fraud 10  
  [email protected]  
  Sound Check  
  Sound Check Index  
  Funky Stuff  
  Intro- Trailer Park Trash  
  Robbie Boyette  
  Claudia Boyette  
  Tony Gardo TPT  
  Laura Wood  
  Laura Wood intro  
  Laura Wood interview  
  The Oath/Party of Four  
  The Oath interview  
  Kenny Swanger  
  Lynn Swanger  
  ChristOff Dice  
  Vinnie Pritchett  
  Creative Writing  
  Orange  
  Creative Writing  
  International Festival of The Sea  
  Pigs on Wheels  
  Art Gallery  
  request for Rich Horn permission  
  Lady in the Coffee Shop by Orange  
  Meeting Lester Hawk by Orange  
  Metting Lester Hawk (2.)  
  The Red Dancer  
  Betrayal by Orange  
  Halloween Love Story (Orange  
  We were brothers (1.)  
  We were brothers (2.)  
  We were brothers Ketchfish (3)  
  We were brothers Ketchfish (4)  
  
  Eric Johnson review by VG  
  Confessions of a Writician (JL4)  
  I Had a Bat!! (JL5)  
  Jeen Lilly (poetry) (JL2)  
  Jeen Lilly Poetry  
  It's Not OCD, right?!!... RIGHT!!? (JL3)  
  On Robin's Song of Hiding(JeenLilly)  
  Jeen Lilly Cat Story  
  JennLilly Discussions  
  Jeen Lilly writer's challenge  
  DEBZ Board  
  Webs of Doubt by Majikslady  
  On the Grand Scale of Things (Ranae)  
  Ranae  
  Day Tripping (1)  
  Day Tripping (2)  
  Be Free (The Math of Freedom)Bamboo  
  A Memorial by BamBooTiger  
  Learning  
  Flirt  
  Flirt 2  
  Jinny  
  phatkats  
  Poetry Graphics 1  
  Poetry Graphics 2  
  poetry graphics 3  
  Bellettres Index  
  Belle/The Night of My Death  
  Bellelettres Letters/Dark Dance(1)  
  Bellelettres Smile/Pluto(2)  
  Bellelettres/ThunderStorm(3)  
  Belle/Toscanini and the Cellist(1)  
  Belle/Cellist (Part II)  
  Belle/(Part III)  
  The Death Of Santa Claus  
  Jen(NCH) Poetry  
  Jen (NCH) Poetry  
  Happy Birthday WSAM  
  Shaydekat  
  Shaydekat poetry  
  Pete  
  Suze  
  Mishap Writing Index  
  Natural Justice (Mishap)SS  
  Poetry by Mishap  
  Mishap/Poetry (1)  
  from Mishap  
  White Lies(Mishap)  
  Cat In Hell's Chance  
  Cat in Hell's Chance ..(2)  
  Limbo by SwitchGears  
  Silken Dreams  
  Written for... by Switch  
  Gordon? which?  
  To Jeen Lilly From Switch  
  ï¿½?�?�?�?�?�?�?�?/A>  
  Studio 3 poss graphics  
  When I Cry by Six  
  Rain by Six  
  who am I by dark_wolf  
  by dark_wolf  
  WSAM Welcome Page (copy)  
  Doorways by Jen  
  Studio Without Walls  
  Dear Diary (Dee)  
  ar.ar..HOOOWWWWL! (I.S.)  
  Writing On The Edge  
  Calisthenics for the Mind, Exercise I  
  Calisthenics continued  
  Zippy  
  Gordon Index(transfer)  
  Pantoumime  
  Villanelle for a Vilaness  
  Doorways  
  SANCTIONED  
  Army Green 3.0  
  Never Fed up--Donjuandevulgair  
  Alone... My Thoughts And I--CrazyDaveLA  
  Work of Grahaman  
  Lyric  
  DirtySunshine (Radiance)  
  WSAM Nation  
  Works of AdorablySweet4u  
  Page 1 Next  
  Page 2 Next  
  Page 3 Next  
  Trigger's Work  
  greyingred poetry  
  AdorablySweet4u (2)  
  Poetry by þíxíé  
  Your Web Page zips  
  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  
  Chef Gordon  
  BlueJeanQueen (poetry)  
  Haunted House Tour  
  Ode to MSN (Zippy)  
  UK Celeb Events(1)Copy  
  Poetry by mikkh  
  SherryG  
  Rememberies (Walker)  
  Pete- Writing Index  
  Switch Writing Index  
  dark_wolf Writing Index  
  Primordial Past/Switch  
  Click/Switch  
  Click(2) Switch  
  Apartment  
  Goldrush  
  Robert Rigby  
  Dave Matthews  
  David Cameron  
  The Feeling  
  GoldRush  
  Jordan AKA Katie Price  
  Well? (Switch)add to index  
  Barbs/poetry  
  Simply Read/Mishap  
  Uneasy Steps/Barbs  
  Katrina/Barbs  
  The pendulum swings/Barbs  
  The Monster/ Barbs  
  Jeen Lilly Index  
  Spying On The Other Sex/Switch  
  Orange FantasySwitch  
  Mel Smith  
  Well?/Switch  
  Billy Joel  
  WSAM Post Office  
  Sir Nicolas Index  
  Thellonius Punk Index  
  Mayabird's Index  
  Black Sabbath at .78 Speed  
  Six's Index  
  â™£â™£â™£â™£â™£â™£â™£â™£â™£â™£  
  ï¿½?�?�?�?�?�?�?�?/A>  
  â–ºâ–ºâ–ºâ–ºâ–ºâ–ºâ–ºâ–º  
  Library Workroom  
  Only You No Longer Me  
  White Hot  
  Dear Diary -- Dee  
  Gothic Funk -- Dee  
  densew-othei's index  
  Welcome Aboard -- Dee  
  Manager's Mail  
  Auntie Annie  
  Your Web Page  
  Kaden James Grant  
  Kaden's Photos  
  Kaden's Messages 1  
  Kaden's Messages 2  
  Kaden's Messages 3  
  Kaden's Messages 4  
  Kaden's Messages 5  
  Links for Kaden  
  A Galaxy in a Knothole by Bob Wall  
  
  
  Tools  
 

 
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>
 
VG.
 
Return to 'Sound Check'
Page Assembled by Chevy @ Chevy'sShop