Music review: Jonny Lang – 鈥楽igns鈥�
All signs indicate that Jonny Lang has another great album on his hands.
I simply loved 2013鈥檚 鈥淔ight for My Soul鈥� with its electrical-charged arrangements possessing shades of funk, blues, gospel and contemporary R&B. While 鈥淔ight for My Soul鈥� featured an engaging cross between John Legend and Prince, Lang gains inspiration for his new material from old-school blues influences like Howlin鈥� Wolf and Robert Johnson and at the same time still manages to infuse hints of Prince鈥檚 alluring falsetto.
鈥淪igns鈥� demonstrates the 36-year-old鈥檚 maturity since his platinum-selling second album 鈥淟ie to Me,鈥� released when he was just 15. For his latest effort, Lang said he wanted to return to more of a guitar-driven sound with vintage blues aspects. Mission accomplished.
The album surprisingly opens with 鈥淢ake It Move,鈥� a soul-bearing number that draws you in with a primal vibe of spontaneity and the message of going out and moving mountains, instead of waiting passively for good fortune and opportunities to find you.
鈥淪nakes鈥� follows with a heavy dose of guitar and plenty of attitude as Lang warns about being on guard for those evils and distractions that hide in the deeper grass for the opportunity to knock you off the chosen path.
鈥淟ast Man Standing鈥� is a straightforward rock anthem that carries strong hints of the Foo Fighters, demonstrating that Lang can certainly cut loose with the best of rock鈥檚 guitarists at any given moment.
Lang throws two smooth-flowing tracks into the mix with the love song 鈥淪tronger Together鈥� and the tender yearnings to return from the road to the things that are truly treasured on 鈥淏ring Me Back Home.鈥�
Lang reacts to the craziness displayed in today鈥檚 world on the rousing 鈥淏itter End鈥� and the smoldering title track. The former number focuses on man鈥檚 knack for not learning from past mistakes and repeating them again and again, whereas the latter track reminds us that we can鈥檛 ignore the signs that something isn鈥檛 right.
The hymn-like presence of the beautiful and haunting 鈥淪inging Songs鈥� gently closes the set with added strings that create a heavenly feel of hope, perseverance and triumph.
With a four-year gap between albums, 鈥淪igns鈥� is Lang鈥檚 most diverse offering and perhaps his best performance yet.
鈥斺赌�
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.