Album Review: ERIC JOHNSON – Up Close Another Look

Mascot Records [Release date 01.04.13]

Whilst I have always been aware of Eric Johnson and his influence on a whole raft of modern guitarists I have never really investigated his music. ‘Up Close – Another Look’ should change all that. For the European edition ahead of an April UK tour Eric has revisited and remixed his sixth studio album released originally in 2010.

Johnson made a short sortie to these isles in 2012 which hopefully now looks the start of something more frequent, and I am sure I won’t be alone in catching up with his back catalogue as a result. I enjoyed his previous studio album, in 2005, called ‘Bloom’, but that wasn’t enough to make me trundle through Amazon, digits poised. This latest offering is. Starting no doubt with 1990′s ‘Ah Via Musicom’.

Most of all ‘Up Close’ is characterised with Johnson’s wonderful, authoritative guitar tone, a style and approach that has influenced artists from Bonamassa to Johnny Winter and won all sorts of accolades.

The album, though, is also full of good songs and a healthy mix of vocal and instrumental. If vocally Johnson sometimes canters off to AOR/West Coast territory (‘Arithmetic’, ‘A Change Has Come To Me’), the album always retains focus and contains some of the most splendid guitaring I’ve heard. Several tracks feature different vocalists including Steve Miller on the bluesy ‘Texas’.

If you thought Johnson’s music, while technically proficient. was a tad bland – listen up – for ‘Up Close’ puts him right up there with the Satches and the Lukes of this world, artists who are at the top of the game and continue to produce consistently good and accessible albums into their advancing years.

Want further confirmation? Just listen to ‘Fatdaddy’, with its urgent fusion vibe, ‘Brilliant Room’ with an infectious commercialty, the darker and broody ‘Soul Surprise’, and the sensational ‘Gem’, the best guitar melody you’ll hear this year.

An album that should appeal to guitar-heads as well as those of gentler persuasion who just want to luxuriate in top class musicality, and a vibe that moves them. *****

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Eric Johnson UK Tour Dates

Wednesday 3rd April
London o2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Shepherd’s Bush Green, London W12 8TT

Thursday 4th April
Harrogate Theatre
Oxford Street, Harrogate, HG1 1QF

Friday 5th April
Edinburgh Queen’s Hall
85 – 89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9JG

Saturday 6th April
Manchester Royal Northern College of Music
124 Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9RD

Sunday 7th April
Birmingham Town Hall
Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3DQ

Monday 8th April
Salisbury City Hall
Malthouse Lane, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7TU

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