Genre: rock
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: Tones
Company: Reprise
Catalog: 25374-1
Year: 1986
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: original inner sleeve
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4632
Price: $7.00
Cost: $66.00
Rather shamefully I'll admit that I knew nothing about guitarist Eric Johnson before stumbling across this album at a yard sale. That's surprising given the amount of media attention he's generated, including cover stories in Guitar Player magazine. Guess I just wasn't paying attention ...
Produced by David Tickle, 1986's "Tones" marked Johnson's solo debut. Backed by longtime compatriots Roscoe Beck on bass and drummer Tommy Taylor the album's a nice showcase for Johnson's versatility and considerable charms. Musically the set offers up a mixture of instrumentals and more commercial material. Instrumentals such as the lead off track 'Soulful Terrain', the acoustic 'The Desert Song' and 'trail of Tears' are all impressive showing off Johnson's versatility - the man appears to be comfortable in virtually every musical genre imaginable. While guitar players will go on and on about Johnson's ability to spin off stunning arpeggios, I'm drawn to his more commercial material. Unlike other Texas-based guitar heroes (Stevie Ray Vaughan and Johnny Winters readily come to mind), Johnson has a surprisingly capable voice that's well suited to top-40-ish material such as 'Bristol Shore' and 'Off My Mind'. Simply one of the best debuts I've ever stumbled across !!!
"Tones" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Soulful Terrain (instrumental) (Eric Johnson) - 4:15
2.) Friends (Eric Johnson) - 5:32
3.) Emerald Eyes (Aaron - Eric Johnson) - 3:22
4.) Off My Mind (Eric Johnson) - 3:59
5.) The Desert Song (instrumental) (Eric Johnson) - 4:19
(side
2)
1.) Trail of Tears (Barber - Eric Johnson - Olsen) - 6:02
2.) Bristol Shore (Eric Johnson) - 6:39
3.) Zap (instrumental) (Eric Johnson) - 4:42
4.) Victory (instrumental) (Beck - Eric Johnson - Taylor ) - 6:38