Who are these Johnsons and are they really brothers?
Written: Jul 22 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A very good time album
Cons: Hard to Find - E mail me if you have trouble
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| wolfman309's Full Review: Rock and Pop |
Few times am I really surprised about a new group. Either they have one hit song and the rest of the album can't live up to the standard set by that single, or you have a group that no one has ever heard of and they produce something that is really good, but the only way you can find it is by word of mouth! That is the purpose of this review. Extended word of mouth for a group that should be in your CD collection.
Yesterday in the mail I received a CD from a group that I had never heard of. The group is called The Johnson Brothers.The album is called Rollin' The Bones.
The group is:
Mike Mosier - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, lead and backing vocals.
Mark Barber - acoustic guitar, lead and backing vocals, tambourine, conga drums, cabasa, shaker egg
Randy Smith - electric bass, acoustic & electric bass, fretless bass, upright bass, backing vocals, shaker egg
Matt Ragan - drums, cardboard box, percussion
The CD consist of three original songs and six covers songs. Four of the covers were recorded live, so that you can get the energy of this bands live performance!
The first song on the album is an original composition called "Broken Down (On The Road Of Love)." This song pays homage to some of the greats in the R & B field. The song has a great opening that reminds me of the great blues song "The House is A Rockin'". This song is destined to receive lots of airplay! It has a great mix of super vocals and meticulously crafted arrangement. The addition of "The Jackson Horns", sax and trumpet, give this song a great boost. The guitars take turns soloing and each one is right on! The bass player delivers a great line that keeps this song chugging! A great song for listening to while taking that road trip.
The next song is for us oldtimers as they state on the record, it is a live cover version of the Van Morrison song "G L O R I A." I think that everyone has at one time or another spelled out that name. Here the band plays it very close to the original with the lead singer putting in a little bit of that Southern twang to it. The band sounds extremely tight and this song is performed very well. After hearing it again, I will be spelling out that name the rest of the day!! Thanks guys. One other thing is to listen for the backing vocals that come in at the end of the song. They are right on! Sung a half beat after the lead vocal, it gives that echo effect that is hard to master on a live recording. Here they nail it! Great stuff.
Van Morrison gets another treatment from the band in this studio cover of his great song "Tupelo Honey." This is one of my favorite songs ever and if there is ever a song that I would be critical of, this would be it. This song is better than the original!! Hard words for me to speak but true! The band hits the feel of this song dead on. The mandolin and horn on this song add a great feel. The saxophone solo is soulful and the way that it leads right into an organ solo followed by a great little guitar piece is perfect. The sax and guitar at the end of this song are also right on. The vocals are crisp and clear in a way that Morrison wishes he could have done. Sorry Van, you have been replaced on my turntable!
Next we get a live version of The Beatles "Rocky Raccoon." It would be sacrilegious to mess with The Beatles. The band plays the song straight without trying to make anything out of this other than the great song that it is. There is a slight bluesy feel to this song that the original didn't have, I think this is due to the southern bluegrass roots of this band. It makes this song a bit more "earthy." They are again paying homage to the music that made them what they are. This is a good cover of a good song.
The Beatles are not finished yet! The band also plays a live cover of their song "You Can't Do That." Here they rock out a bit and let you know that rock and roll and electric guitars go hand in hand. Another good version of a good song. The band does not miss a beat and every note is right on! These guys are not going to replace The Beatles, but this is still a great cover of one of their songs.
Next is another original song called "In My Dreams". This song has a definite calypso feel to it. The shaker egg and conga drums make sure of it. It reminds me a lot of the music of The Little River Band. That blending of Latin rhythms and rock and roll. This song also highlights the musically abilities of the band. A great little finger picking guitar piece and a duel with the sax is a great touch.
Rock and roll!! The next song is a live version of a real forgotten song called "No Matter What" originally recorded by Badfinger. There is some really good guitar work in this one. The vocals are nailed on this one! This would be one fun band to see live!!! They are having a ball with some of the great oldies but goodies.
"Pop Tune" is the last original tune on this album. The song starts out with an acoustic guitar that suddenly gets a tambourine and an electric guitar that blend together to build to a rocking crescendo until the vocals kick in. Then the song levels out with the acoustic guitar providing a very cool rhythm backing to the song. There is some electric guitar solos spotted periodically that really make this song rock. Then all of a sudden the band stops and the vocals are carried on Acapella in such a way that you will be amazed. It sounds like a full choir. (There is some additional vocals provided by Norman's Bait and Tackle Choir.) This song is a really winner. It is vaguely reminiscent of Steve Miller for some reason. It might be the way that the electric guitars make an appearance for a solo then disappear. This is a neat effect that helps to make this song a winner also!!
The last song on this album is called"I'm In Love With A Girl." This song was originally done by Alex Chilton, lead singer of The Box Tops. I do not know the original version but this song has a very Beatles feel to it. No electric instruments on this number at all. It gives it a very folksy feel. The sound on this one is really different and has a great ambiance due to the recording technique used. On this song they gathered around a mike and laid the song down in one track! A great ending to a fine first album.
It is really a good feeling to find a band that no one else knows about and you get the oppurtunity to gloat over having something that no one else has. But, this band is too good for me to keep as my own, so I have to tell you all about them. This is music that all will enjoy. This is just some very good musicians having a good time in the studio and on the stage. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised by what you find on this CD!
This album has that certain spark, that unique power, that spunkyness that is lacking in most of today's music. It is about time that someone comes along who is having fun with their music! I am having fun listening to it too!!
I only gave this album 4 stars...because I expect bigger and better things from them in the future! And to think, I will be able to say that I knew them when...!
I had to put this here since there is no slot for this group. With the lead singer and guitarist being a member of the Epinion community, I hope that you will cut some slack for being off topic!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
wolfman309
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Member: Scott Ward
Location: Mt Pleasant, MI
Reviews written: 255
Trusted by: 134 members
About Me:
Let the music do the talking!!!
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