Eric Johnson

Bloom

After four years of touring and pursuing side projects, guitarist/singer/songwriter Eric Johnson offered up Bloom, his fourth studio release, in late 2005. While one could argue that it lacks the commercial appeal of his previous works — most notably his Grammy-winning 1990 release Ah Via Musicom — Bloom makes up for it with stronger songwriting and a more adventurous spirit. Oh, sure, there are "guitar god" numbers of the type that forged Johnson's reputation as one of the best guitar players of his generation, but there are other tones and textures on this record that would never have passed the "big record company conformity test" of Capitol Records, his previous record label.

Eric Johnson is now signed to the Favored Nations label, an organization founded by another guitar magician: Steve Vai. The flexibility afforded by recording with an independent is apparent on this record. Various styles abound.

"Summer Jam" features Johnson's signature tone and trademark technique, while "Good to Me," with its Vocoder-drenched chorus, has an almost techno vibe to it. The revved up rendition of Bob Dylan's "My Back Pages" is the sole track of the 16 that comprise this CD not written by Johnson, and as many performers in the past discovered, Johnson shows that Dylan's work makes an excellent vehicle for his own unique voice. Johnson mixes it up even more by adding the country spank of Jerry Reed in the aptly titled "Tribute to Jerry Reed," and ventures into jazzier territory on numbers like "Cruise the Nile," and "Magnetized." When you're an independent, not being a member apparently has its advantages.

"They’re very flexible. Basically, their attitude is, “Do what you want to do as long as you do a great job of it,”" remarked Johnson about the freedom afforded by his new label.

One curious touch that Johnson put on the disc was dividing the tracks into three separate "movements" entitled "Prelude," "Courant," and "Allemand" — the latter two being references to Seventeenth Century court dances. I ask Eric about this unique approach to arranging a record:

"I decided to do it a little different than the typical '2 up, 1 down…' type of arrangement," says Johnson of this unique approach to arranging a record. "The three different sections are a kind of dressy way to showcase the different vibes on the record."

What this does is make Bloom sound like three separate records: Starting off with high energy guitar-driven rockers, moving into ecclectic pop numbers (the down-home fun of "Tribute to Jerry Reed," notwithstanding), and wrapping up with cool, jazz-influenced songs. It's an interesting approach, but one that leaves the a bit unbalanced, as Johnson acknowledged.

Despite this small drawback, the CD showcases the type of work that makes Eric Johnson a fan favorite and a highly respected musician. Rated one of the top 25 independent albums of 2005, Bloom continues the legacy of one of rock's best guitar players and most ecclectic talents.

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