Eric Johnson - Bloom
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Free Music Notes for Bloom
Free Music Review: The Best of Everything
Hit: 5 Stars
Eric Johnson is in his usual superb form on this album, showing that he can slip effortlessly from one style to another without breaking a sweat.
The first section, Prelude, includes some of his blazingly fast and melodic guitar virtuosity, including a unique rendition of Bob Dylan's "My Pack Pages".
The second section, Courante (which refers to 16th century courting dances), includes some sweet ballads, a country-ish tribute to Jerry Reed, and some tasteful new-agey fare.
The last section, Allemande (again referring to dances), includes some new-agey tunes as well as some soft fusion pieces.
All in all, this one's a keeper.
Free Music Review: 10 years wait for this?
Hit: 3 Stars
I never thought I'd see the day where I got completely bored with an Eric Johnson album after only 2 listens and filed it away. I go through my music, I see 'Bloom' and I can never get myself to go back to it again. Ten years waiting for this? What's surprsing is how some people think the album is a snooze fest after track six (when the electric instrumentals stop), but I found it the opposite. The first six songs put me to sleep because not one of them was really different from the others, and they are all riffs and lead work and scale runs we've heard Eric do countless times before, in much better songs. I love all of Eric's past work, all the way to the Electromagnets, but it seems he's run out of ideas for 'electric instrumentals'. I did like his attempts at 'non electric' instrumentals with the country, jazz, and even the homage to his electromagnet days, although surprisingly it's inferior to anything from that 1975 album. You'd think that if he's doing a rip of that era, in the ensuing 30 years Eric would have been able to write at least one song that should have not only matched the power of the original Electromagnet compositions, but should have EXCEEDED it. He's had thirty years of 'artistic growth' and yet it sounds like some bad outtake from 1975 sessions. Disappointing to say the least.
I'm a guitarist, so I'm already predisposed to like and love listening to guitarists, so what does it say when I come away from this Cd almost bored out my mind after the first 6 tracks? Fer Chrissakes, the majority of music I listen to is 'instrumental guitar'!! Imagine what these tracks would do to someone who doesn't even care about guitar. I'm sorry, but this just does not cut it. There are plenty of other players out there today delivering the 'instrumental' goods, so there is no reason to settle for substandard instrumentals from Eric Johnson.
Thankfully, he finally changes gears half way through the CD. Too little, too late. If this is a concept album, as some think, it's a bad concept. I could have maybe accepted the quality level of this CD were it quickly released within a year of 'Venus Isle' but ten years later!!! Considering how so many other 'old guys' like Schenker are able to release consistently high quality work 'every year' at the age of 50, there's no excuse for a timeline like this from someone of Johnson's supposed caliber. That's just ridiculous.
And I'll agree with what someone else said about the production. It's way overproduced. I know Eric has an obsessive/compulsive nature when it comes to identifying the sound of one wire from another, but this is a good example of too much time in the studio counting the hairs on your sac.
I still listen to Tones, Ah Via Musicom, Venus Isle, Electromagnets, on a consistent basis, and this album has been a let down in comparison. The really weak point to me is those 6 'boring clone' instrumentals, and right at the front of the CD! It just brings the album to a skidding halt. If they were interesting instrumentals, okay, but they are sleep inducing. Cut those off, add some more acoustic, jazz or fusion or country, and I'd be adding a star to this review. I'm beginning to think that Eric is tapped out as an electric guitarist, and should maybe switch genres. He's always much more interesting to listen to when he's on acoustic, or playing jazz. Give us more of this Eric!
Listen to Petrucci's new instrumental solo album 'Suspended' to hear someone who can still consistenly inspire on electric guitar and is still on the top of his game.
Bye, Eric. We'll see you again in 2015. Hopefully by then you've got a consistently good studio release written.
Free Music Review: Something for everyone
Hit: 4 Stars
I've been a fan of Eric Johnson since "Tones" was released. Unlike others who may prefer tracks 1 to 6 (the rocker guitar instrumentals (with the exception of "My Back Pages" with vocals), my favourite tracks are 7 to 16. It seems that with the first 6 tracks I've heard better from him before (especially when I saw him live in concert in 2004), and the production should be rawer on some of those tracks. I give 4 1/2 stars for tracks 7 to 16, and 3 stars for tracks 1 to 6.
Free Music Review: Eric Johnson...Bloom
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been a fan of Eric Johnson since I first saw him play in concert back in 1989. "Bloom" is a collection of songs that show just how great a player Eric has become and how his technique and style have matured over time. The elements of all styles and genres are present, which help to keep the listener engaged. True to how Eric does things, this album is like none of his others...A must have for everyone's collection.
Enjoy.
My Top picks...Bloom, Columbia, 12 to 12 Vibe, Tribute To Jerry Reed, and Sunnaround You.
Free Music Review: A little too diverse perhaps...
Hit: 3 Stars
Eric Johnson is unquestionably a great guitarist, and I like this album, but it's a bit too diverse for my tastes; the tunes on this CD encompass guitar Rock a la Satriani/Vai ('Bloom', 'Columbia'), Jazz in the style of Wes Montgomery/George Benson/Lee Ritenour ('From My Heart','Hesitant'), Country ('Tribute To Jerry Reed'), and even Spanish Classical style ('Ciel').
In fact the divergence of the styles on this record give it the feel of a sampler, rather than a cohesive whole. I for one would like to see Eric do an all Jazz record ('From My Heart' is particularly beautiful, and I'm hoping the guitar tab to this CD is published soon so I can learn to play it...).
As for 'Tribute To Jerry Reed', to say I dislike Country music is an understatement, and it annoys me to find it on a "Rock" album! I concede that Country can claim a great many extremely talented guitar players--I just ain't interested in listenin' to it.
Also,'Cruise The Nile' is a bit of a puzzler; from the title one assumes the tune is supposed to be about Egypt, but it sounds like something inspired by the music of India (Eric, they don't play sitars in Egypt...).
Finally, as a singer and lyricist, Eric Johnson is a great guitar player... to quote the title of a Frank Zappa album, "shut up and play yer guitar!"
Despite these gripes--and not being the lucky winner of that new Eric Johnson Signature Fender Stratocaster--I can recommend this record, and I look forward to Eric's next effort.