Jonny Lang | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Modern blues in the 90s had a weird phenomenon of teenage blues guitarists rocketing to popularity with their first album. The entire trend culminated with Jonny Lang, a guitarist from Fargo, North Dakota, who released his solo debut album, Lie to Me, when he was 15. At the age of 12, he had attended a show by the Bad Medicine Blues Band and began playing with the group. Several months later he became their leader, and the newly renamed Kid Jonny Lang & the Big Bang relocated from Fargo to Minneapolis and released their debut album, Smokin, in 1995. The LP became a regional hit, leading to a major-label bidding war and culminating in Langs signing to A&M; Records in 1996. Early in 1997, his major-label debut, Lie to Me, was released to mixed reviews; the stronger effort, Wander This World, followed late the next year. Langs next release, Long Time Coming, arrived in 2003 and garnered often withering critiques for its turn toward over-produced hard rock mixed with sometimes heavy-handed religiosity; 2006s gospel-informed Turn Around was more favorably received. Live at the Ryman was issued by Concord Records in 2010. After a seven-year hiatus, he announced details of his sixth studio album, Fight for My Soul which was scheduled for release in September 2013; it peaked at number one on Billboards Blues Albums chart. Lang released his next album, the politically charged Signs, in September 2017. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 9 Title: Smokin Released: 1995 Tracks: 11 Duration: 44:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Louise (04:23) 2 Changes (03:17) 3 Lovin My Baby (03:10) 4 I Love You the Best (04:03) 5 Nice & Warm (07:43) 6 Its Obdacious (03:18) 7 Sugarman (04:12) 8 "E" Train (04:11) 9 Too Tired (03:15) 10 Smokin (03:45) 11 Malted Milk (03:17) |
| Smokin' : Allmusic album Review : Smokin is a good electric blues album, but its hard to divorce an assessment of it from the knowledge that singer/guitarist Jonny Lang was a mere 14 years old when he recorded it. Would one consider it such an achievement if the bandleader were twice that age? Probably not. Without Langs precocity as a draw, the album is a competent work in a hidebound form. The guitar playing is fluid and professional in a style reminiscent of many other players, notably B.B. King. The singing is fine, but unremarkable. The backup band maintains a groove and gives Lang something to play off of. If you saw a band playing like this in a local club, youd have a good time. And if you could tell that the guitar player was underage, youd be far more impressed. But then, thats the point, isnt it? | ||
 | Album: 2 of 9 Title: Lie to Me Released: 1996 Tracks: 12 Duration: 50:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lie to Me (04:11) 2 Darker Side (05:07) 3 Good Morning Little School Girl (04:14) 4 Still Wonder (03:45) 5 Matchbox (03:29) 6 Back for a Taste of Your Love (03:32) 7 A Quitter Never Wins (05:56) 8 Hit the Ground Running (03:31) 9 Rack em Up (04:07) 10 When I Come to You (04:58) 11 Theres Gotta Be a Change (04:11) 12 Missing Your Love (03:52) |
| Lie to Me : Allmusic album Review : Like his peers Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Chris Duarte, Jonny Lang is a technically gifted blues guitarist, capable of spitting out accomplished licks and riffs at an astonishingly rapid rate. That doesnt necessarily mean the album has much emotional weight -- Lang can deliver the style, but not the substance, simply because he still needs to grow as a musician. Lang does boast an impressive array of licks and instrumental technique, but he needs something more to make Lie to Me a substantive record. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 9 Title: Wander This World Released: 1998-10-20 Tracks: 13 Duration: 55:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Still Rainin (04:49) 2 Second Guessing (05:10) 3 I Am (05:05) 4 Breakin Me (04:32) 5 Wander This World (04:50) 6 Walking Away (04:14) 7 The Levee (03:42) 8 Angel of Mercy (04:31) 9 Right Back (03:55) 10 Leaving to Stay (04:35) 11 Before You Hit the Ground (03:54) 12 Cherry Red Wine (03:32) 13 If This Is Love (02:59) |
| Wander This World : Allmusic album Review : When reviewers heard teen-aged Jonny Langs debut album of 1997, Lie to Me, many of them commented on how mature the blues singer/guitarist sounded for his age. Similarly, Langs second album, Wander This World, often sounds like it could have been the work of a man of 30. With David Z. (known for his work with Prince) producing, the Midwesterner delivers an exciting sophomore effort that has as much to do with soul, funk, and rock as it does with actual blues. Far from a purist, Lang takes an approach that is best described as Albert Collins, B.B. King, and Luther Allison by way of Otis Redding, Stax Records, and Eric Clapton. While "Angel of Mercy" and the moody "Cherry Red Wine" demonstrate his mastery of the 12-bar format, most of the other selections arent actual 12-bar blues, but rather Southern-style soul, funk, or rock with a wealth of blues feeling. Lovers of 1960s Memphis soul should appreciate "Walking Away" and "Second Guessing," while "The Levee" and "Still Rainin" have more of a rock orientation. The haunting title song finds Lang singing a little too convincingly about loneliness -- even though Lang himself didnt actually write the lyrics -- hearing an adolescent sounding so world-weary and isolated is rather disconcerting. Theres nothing even remotely bubblegum about this excellent CD, which proves that Langs supporters had every right to be enthusiastic. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 9 Title: Long Time Coming Released: 2003-10-14 Tracks: 15 Duration: 57:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Give Me Up Again (04:04) 2 Red Light (03:44) 3 Get What You Give (03:11) 4 The One I Got (03:27) 5 Touch (03:40) 6 Beautiful One (03:23) 7 If We Try (04:23) 8 Goodbye Letter (03:57) 9 Save Yourself (03:40) 10 To Love Again (03:45) 11 Happiness and Misery (03:21) 12 Hide Your Love (04:51) 13 Dying to Live (04:16) 14 Long Time Coming (02:48) 15 Livin for the City (live) (04:44) |
| Long Time Coming : Allmusic album Review : Not content to be respected for his talents as an above average blues-rocker, Jonny Lang makes a rather abrupt change on his third album. Unfortunately, its to a below average, religiously inspired, hard rocking singer/songwriter. Arriving nearly five years after his last release, there is no problem with Lang realigning himself and staking his claim as a more "adult" musician. But between over-the-top vocals that sound like hes straining to zip up his trousers and turgid tunes that lie languid between funk, hard rock, and bluesy R&B;, the album lost whatever audience he still had and didnt acquire any newcomers either. Additionally the tracks are fattened up with multiple overdubs and Pro Tools-enhanced sweetening, making the majority of them sound like dated, second-rate Journey-styled arena rock. Some of the blame should be handed to producer/co-songwriter Marti Frederiksen, who seems to think that ladling on strings, drum tracks, and as much extraneous goop as possible will make Lang more "contemporary." It generally fails and one hopes that Lang can bounce back on his next project. Even the comparatively stripped-down "Touch" is obliterated by Langs uncomfortably strained vocals that make it sound like hes trying to imitate Prince at karaoke night. The acoustic title track starts to make amends, but coming 13 songs in, its too little too late. A closing "bonus live version" of Stevie Wonders "Living for the City" finally nails it, but Langs singing is still pretentious, the blaring horns are overkill, and it only accentuates how subpar the material on the rest of the disc is. Its a major disappointment and setback for a once promising musician. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 9 Title: Touch… The Best of Jonny Lang Released: 2004 Tracks: 31 Duration: 2:37:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Lie to Me (04:51) 2 Still Rainin’ (05:20) 3 A Quitter Never Wins (06:47) 4 If We Try (04:26) 5 Howlin’ the Blues (04:32) 6 Bang Bang (04:19) 7 Irish Angel (05:42) 8 Red Light (04:21) 9 Give Me Up Again (04:42) 10 Spanish Castle Magic (10:41) 11 She’s Out Somewhere (10:37) 12 Leaving to Stay (06:11) 13 Breakin’ Me (04:55) 1 Good Morning Little School Girl (04:14) 2 Beautiful One (03:26) 3 Ground Hog Day (with Double Trouble) (04:00) 4 Changes (03:20) 5 The Levee (03:42) 6 When I Come to You (04:58) 7 Walking Away (04:14) 8 Hide Your Love (04:55) 9 Nice And Warm (07:45) 10 Midnight Train (with Buddy Guy) (05:23) 11 The Darker Side (05:10) 12 Cherry Red Wine (03:32) 13 The One I Got (03:29) 14 I Been Missin’ You (with Syl Johnson) (05:08) 15 Missing Your Love (03:56) 16 Wander This World (04:53) 17 Still Wonder (03:48) 18 Touch (03:41) |
 | Album: 6 of 9 Title: Turn Around Released: 2006-09-19 Tracks: 15 Duration: 55:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Intro (00:17) 2 Bump in the Road (03:40) 3 One Person at a Time (03:02) 4 The Other Side of the Fence (03:04) 5 Turn Around (04:41) 6 My Love Remains (03:51) 7 Thankful (04:04) 8 Only a Man (04:15) 9 Dont Stop (For Anything) (05:00) 10 Anythings Possible (03:48) 11 Last Goodbye (03:56) 12 On My Feet Again (04:23) 13 That Great Day (04:36) 14 Its Not Over (05:32) 15 Outro (00:50) |
| Turn Around : Allmusic album Review : On 2003s Long Time Coming, Jonny Lang made the first turn from his rap as an itinerant blues-rocker to being a spiritually inspired rock and pop songwriter. Producer Marti Frederiksen took Langs tunes and glossed them to the breaking point, leaving the album an unfocused gobbledygook set of songs that had no center. Three years later, Lang returns with Turn Around. And the title does not refer to him turning back to his blues guitar slinger roots. Instead, the title refers to the biblical term that is the definition of the word "repent." (No mistake.) Langs overt spirituality comes ringing through the mix created by Drew Ramsey Lang and Shannon Sanders. Turn Around is funkier, dressed in contemporary gospel, gritty rock and yes, the blues. Langs still got a way to go as a songwriter, but the material here is infinitely better than it was on his last outing. The gospel underpinnings help because his "the Jonny Lang Thankful Choir" is no less than 13 voices strong. Unfortunately, the "anthem" on this record, "One Person at a Time," is just plain corny, talking about wishing for triple-platinum success, but if it "only reaches one set of ears/I will have fulfilled my purpose here...." Cmon. Nice sentiment, but as a song its just plain lousy. Tracks like "Thankful," which utilizes the choir very effectively and employs duet vocalist Michael McDonald, is startlingly good. Another track that works well is "My Love Remains," which takes its opening riff from a very big radio hit of the 90s, and then inverts it. The tracks real surprise is in Langs falsetto vocal performance, which reveals a new depth for him as a singer. "Dont Stop for Anything," proves that Lang should just give up trying to be a hard rocker; he simply cant pull it off. Much better are his attempts at gritty soul, such as on "Anythings Possible (Dont Let Em)," which once again has dumb lyrics but as a singers tune is a delight. Its as if he needs to prove to someone -- perhaps only to himself -- that hes arrived as a musician. The funky gospel and soul of "On My Feet Again" blends all of his talents as a singer, guitarist, and songwriter -- with killer horns and choir in the pocket -- and offers a real view of what this man is capable of. His acoustic numbers, such as "That Great Day" with mandolins, steel guitars, and a country gospel flavor are also noteworthy. Lyrically, hes singing from the heart, not his resentments on these tunes; he has nothing to prove to anybody anymore. It should also be noted that A&M; is to be applauded for sticking by him with such a bold move. Ultimately, Turn Around is a great leap from Long Time Coming, and is an exciting if somewhat flawed hint at what is on the horizon as Lang develops further, becoming more confident in his role as a veteran instead of a boy wonder. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 9 Title: Live at the Ryman Released: 2009-11-03 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:25:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 One Person at a Time (04:33) 2 Bump in the Road (03:49) 3 Turn Around (11:38) 4 Give Me Up Again (04:00) 5 A Quitter Never Wins (06:55) 6 Red Light (Band Intros) (11:52) 7 Red Light (11:52) 8 Dont Stop (For Anything) (06:06) 9 Thankful (04:16) 10 I Am (07:03) 11 Breakin Me (07:55) 12 Lie to Me (05:53) |
| Live at the Ryman : Allmusic album Review : Nashvilles Ryman Auditorium may no longer be the home of the Grand Ole Opry, but it is still known for country music. Jonny Lang claims the venue for the blues on this live recording, however. Before an enthusiastic audience, he turns in a representative set full of energy and screaming electric guitar playing. The band seems amped up from the outset on "One Person at a Time," a statement of purpose as well as a plea to disc jockeys to play Langs music and help him to platinum status. Elsewhere, he sings of love gone wrong and right, as well as his determination to succeed. His voice is one of those functional ones for a blues musician who is more of an instrumentalist than a singer, as if hed taken lessons from Eric Clapton and Warren Haynes. The point is expressiveness more than hitting the right notes. The ten-minute "Red Light" is the shows centerpiece, a philosophical ballad that keeps threatening to turn into Bob Marleys "No Woman No Cry" as Lang repeats "Everything is gonna be all right." "Thankful" is closer to gospel than the blues, which may be more appropriate to the venue. The songs are more than just platforms for Langs guitar, just as the band is more than just musical support for it. But he is still a guitar hero, and this spirited performance only confirms that. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 9 Title: Fight for My Soul Released: 2013-08-30 Tracks: 11 Duration: 55:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Blew Up (The House) (04:42) 2 Breakin In (03:36) 3 We Are the Same (05:59) 4 What You’re Looking For (05:45) 5 Not Right (04:33) 6 The Truth (05:08) 7 River (04:13) 8 Fight for My Soul (04:58) 9 All of a Sudden (04:42) 10 Seasons (05:00) 11 Ill Always Be (07:03) |
| Fight for My Soul : Allmusic album Review : Marketed as a blues-rock prodigy early in his career, Jonny Lang had considerable success at a young age -- in 2004, A Tribute to Jonny Lang was released, arriving nearly a decade into the guitarists career when he was just about to turn 22 -- so perhaps it isnt a great surprise that the first decade of the new millennium found him a little lost. He found religion, then tried to fuse his beliefs with hard rock on a series of transitional releases, before righting himself with 2013s Fight for My Soul. If the title suggests Lang may still be sorting out spiritual issues in his songs, the album itself bears no conflicted musical personality. Ditching the lingering hard rock along with any outright blues jams, Lang dives headfirst into classic soul and R&B;, its elastic, funky grooves allowing the guitarist plenty of space to solo, but this isnt a record where the intent is to showcase instrumental virtuosity. Working closely with co-producer and co-songwriter Tommy Sims, Lang puts the focus on song and, with it, allows himself plenty of little stylistic detours. The album opens exuberantly with "Blew Up (The House)," which brings to mind a harder-edged, streamlined Sly & the Family Stone; later, Lang does a full-on Motown pastiche on "River," and the gently acoustic "All of a Sudden" suggests Babyfaces 90s productions. At times, his emphasis on stuttering funk and thick sheets of guitar recalls Lenny Kravitz -- "Breakin In" and "We Are the Same" are in that mold, while "Ill Always Be" suggests the candied psychedelic ballads that are Kravitzs stock in trade -- but that is by no means a bad thing, as Lang and Sims have given Fight for My Soul a similarly appealing gloss, so the album is enjoyable as sheer ear candy, but underneath the surface this is Langs strongest set of songs yet. It took a little while for Jonny Lang to find his groove, but Fight for My Soul proves that he needed the journey so he could arrive at this destination. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 9 Title: Signs Released: 2017-08-25 Tracks: 11 Duration: 47:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Make It Move (03:28) 2 Snakes (02:58) 3 Last Man Standing (03:26) 4 Signs (05:35) 5 What You’re Made Of (04:18) 6 Bitter End (04:10) 7 Stronger Together (03:34) 8 Into the Light (04:01) 9 Bring Me Back Home (05:46) 10 Wisdom (04:05) 11 Singing Songs (05:53) |
| Signs : Allmusic album Review : Since Jonny Lang began his career as a blues revivalist, it can sometimes be surprising how thoroughly he attempts to connect with the modern world on his albums. On 2013s Fight for My Soul, he dug deep into his interior world, but on its successor Lang looks outside of himself and attempts to sort through the ball of confusion thats 2017. All throughout Signs, hes looking at a world in chaos and attempting to find markers to lead him through. Some of these guideposts are indeed familiar. He remains a disciple of 70s blues-rock, especially Hendrix, and he does frequently crank up the amps and vamps, but he spends nearly as much time settling into soulful grooves. Sometimes, these cool R&B; rhythms are kinetically funky, sometimes theyre smooth and relaxed, and they add some dimension here, as does the wistful acoustic closer, "Singing Songs." Additionally, these soulful accents underscore how Lang intends Signs to be inclusive, not exclusive. One of the centerpieces is "Stronger Together," a nicely grooving anthem of togetherness that also echoes Hillary Clintons campaign slogan of 2016. This may be as explicitly political as Lang gets on Signs, but with the raging "Bitter End" and tentative optimism of "Into the Light," its clear that he designed this album be a balm for troubled times, and its hard not to admire that openheartedness. | ||