Up Close

Eric Johnson - Up Close

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Category: Music CD
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CD Details

Artist: Eric Johnson
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2010-12-07
Music Label: Capitol
Soundtracks:

AWAKEN
FATDADDY
BRILLIANT ROOM (Malford Milligan -vocal)
TEXAS (Steve Miller -vocal, Jimmie Vaughan - guitar)
GEM
TRAVERSE
AUSTIN (Jonny Lang - vocal)
SOUL SURPRISE
ON THE WAY
ARITHMETIC
THE SEA AND THE MOUNTAIN
VORTEXAN
A CHANGE HAS COME TO ME
CHANGE - revisited
YOUR BOOK (Sonny Landreth - guitar)

Music reviews of Up Close

Music Review: A welcome return but a mixed bag
Rating: 3 Stars

Being a long time fan, its great to see a new EJ album after the wait since 2005's "Bloom".

Unfortunately, Up Close is a bit hit and miss in its delivery - lots of variety but the album feels disjointed, more like a collection of singles, with too many guest vocal collaborations.

That's not to say that the guests don't deliver:- there are some fine performances, particularly Johnny Lang on Austin and Malford Milligan on Brilliant Room. Austin is probably the album highlight (it's also the first single from the CD) with a melody that immediately recalls Stevie Wonder's "I was made to love her" - top stuff!

Austin is also the best balanced collaboration, allowing EJ to step forward with some fantastic soloing but too often the other vocal tracks seem to showcase mainly the vocalists, and EJ's signature melodic guitar runs rarely take centre stage (see for example Brilliant Room or A Change Has Come to Me.)

Texas is a close relation of Red House, and features Steve Miller on vocals. Being EJ, it's technically flawless in performance, but ultimately remains a fairly standard blues number that fails to excite or explore new territory and, at 6+mins long, it actually stops the album's early build up of momentum.

On the plus side, Arithmetic and Your Book are both wonderful ballads, with Eric taking lead vocals. It's not new ground for Eric but these are both great songs and touching performances.

It's a shame that A Change Has Come to Me doesn't fulfil its early promise, opening with some great chiming tones, some lovely Hendrixy phrasing and a strong chorus but the song never lands the knockout punch, losing direction somewhat in its latter stages, with a reprise section that feels tacked on and awkward.

Of the instrumental tracks, Gem is the standout and ranks among EJ's best work - a real signature piece that could easily sit on the classic, Ah Via Musicom. Fatdaddy is punchy and fun, although Soul Surprise is a mid-tempo piece that slips by without really demanding or capturing the listener's attention. Vortexan plays with the riff from "No One Knows" by QOTSA before taking us on a Texan boogie in the spirit of early ZZ Top, and is another of the album's high points. On The Way is a country piece, returning to a familiar stylistic theme for Eric and recalling earlier efforts, Steve's Boogie / Tribute to Jerry Reed.

As a final aspect to the variety on offer here, there are 3 "interludes" throughout the album which sit between tracks but don't actually serve as stylistic or melodic links. Layers of tuneful guitar overdubs & feedback build up, more soundscapes (or noodling if you want to be hyper-critical!) than actual songs. At less than 2 mins each, these pieces aren't substantial enough to develop any musical ideas, so they feel a bit redundant to sit through.

Overall, Up Close is certainly a classy effort, full of great playing, writing and vocal performances. The production is also great - loud but clear and dynamic. EJ looks to be aiming for some crossover appeal with the guest vocalists, however the downside of that is the songs don't gel together stylistic which makes the album - as a whole - a less satisfying listening experience.

Up Close is not, therefore, a contender for Eric's career-best album (currently Ah Via Musicom with Venus Isle close behind) but it's worth checking out, notably for Austin and Gem which should definitely be on any EJ fan's best-of playlist!

More Up Close free music reviews:
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Description of Up Close

Eric Johnson rates as one of the premier guitarist of our day, but also excels as a composer, singer and musical entertainer. He boast a Grammy award and five nominations, a platinum album, and the rare achievent of instrumental hit songs.