Jonny Lang
Long Time Coming
(A&M)
Releasing two platinum-selling albums at a young age can create incredibly high expectations of things to come for a phenom artist.
Such has been the case of Jonny Lang, whose first major-label album , released at the age of 16, caused many blues fans to proclaim the second coming of Stevie Ray Vaughn. Much has been made of Lang's age since, but he has often been quoted saying he believes age should not be a factor when judging his music. With the release of , his first album in five years, many of Lang's fans may wish he was 16 again.
Judging from past releases, was anticipated to be an authentic blues album from an emerging guitar master. Song by song, there is an expectation to hear a break-out guitar solo, some incredible riff similar to those on past albums. The album is severely lacking in that event, and when it is all over, leaves the audience very unsatisfied. Lang disappoints his traditional fans by steering more toward contemporary radio-rock than traditional guitar-laden blues. Although Lang considers this album to more honestly reflect who he is, it lacks a certain amount of originality.
It is evident from the opening measures of the first track, \Give Me Up Again,"" that this is not the Jonny Lang of past albums. The song opens with a gospelesque slowness, but eventually evolves into one of the bluesier songs on the album. With the end of the third track, ""Get What You Give,"" arguably the best song on the album for its mix of guitar and a distinctive beat, blues disappears completely. These two songs are the most like Lang's old music, and they are the only throwbacks an early Lang fan will find to hold on to.
One of Lang's biggest appeals is his deep, gravelly voice, part of what made his being 16 so unbelievable. On the track ""Beautiful One,"" Lang convincingly sings falsetto, but in no way pleasing to his original fans. This tune has Top 40 hit written all over it, and is comparable to numerous other whiny, male-sung love songs in which the artist sings two octaves above where he should be.
The remainder of the album consists of more contemporary rock and some mixing with other genres. No artist should be criticized for trying new musical styles and Lang deserves credit for his first attempt as a contributing writer and co-producer. Though he claims he was pigeonholed into the blues guitar player role by past albums, this one traps him in the multi-genre, manufactured sound of many radio artists today. For those that were hoping for a hard-rocking blues album of past Jonny Lang fame, it may be another five years before anything close to his original talent is recreated.
