| CD REVIEW Bravo Johnson |
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Band : Bravo Johnson Bravo Johnson (born Ricardo AmurrioOct 17th 1973) is a California based act who has achieved some critical success since the 2000. Though Johnson's music has received little radio airplay, he has gained a large cult following. Johnson performs with the guitar, piano and is backed by a changing line-up of musicians. Originally seen in step with indie rock and americana, the first official release under the Bravo Johnson name was Aimlessly Drifting (Stone Junction Records 2006). His most recent studio album, The Crooked and the Straight was released on January 20 , 2008 in USA. A collection of 27 (?) tunes that range from the mellower edged Lynyrd Skynyrd style, Neil Young, The Byrds, to that of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.The music has a slight hint of Southern charm. The vocals and the overall sound are bathed with a barroom atmosphere and attitude and will fill your speakers with warmth. Solid if not spectacular, The Crooked and the Straight is a stronger-than-average double CD with a few genuine highlights, including the Grant Lee Buffalo-like “Lush”, “Ace in the hole”, “Lone star” with subtle percussion, “Ishmael” with a Zeppelin-signature and “Ship of fools” which features a simple but irresistible latin groove that could have come from Carlos Santana. Probably too subtle and too long for the indie/rocker crowd, too inventive for commercial success, in other words : timeless… The Crooked and the Straight is an excellent and varied album where folky, country, americana, blues, gospel and rockin’ passages flow into each other, effortlessly it seems…Not for a metal head but if you like aforementioned bands it is recommended. 90/100 Cosmicmasseur. |