Album Review: Wander This World

Artist:  Jonny Lang

# of plays on my iTunes:  221

Released:  1998

I have been hearing Jonny Lang’s album Wander This World for a long time, but it took me a while to appreciate what a tour-de-force it really is.  Jonny Lang was the artist who introduced my dad to the blues back in about 1998, but for some reason I didn’t quite connect with the blues until several years later.  However, I remember enjoying the bombastic intro of “Still Rainin,’” with Bruce McCabe’s echoing piano and Jonny’s searing guitar and vocals.  I connected with “Still Rainin’” to some degree because it was similar to the hard rock I was listening to at the time, but my untrained ear had difficulty distinguishing what set the rest of the album apart from the [stuff] that I was forced to hear every time I turned on the radio.  At that time, I needed big guitars and/or very bluesy rhythms if I was going to really connect with the music.

Once I really got into the blues, I focused more on such artists as Pinetop Perkins, Howlin’ Wolf, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, while others who did more blending of blues with other styles such as Jonny Lang got put aside somewhat.  However, I eventually decided I needed to listen to all of the blues at my disposal in a somewhat systematic fashion in order to better appreciate it.  I found Jonny’s more solidly bluesy material on Lie to Me and Smokin’ easier to get into at first, but as I listened more and more I started to appreciate Wander This World and figure out what makes it work so well:  great songwriting and tons of soul.

Beyond Luther Allison and Lang himself, the names of the writers whose songs are featured on this album may not be so familiar within the context of the blues, but they are a truly impressive group.  (For more on the songwriters, see the end of this post.)  Every element of every song on the CD is just so.  The keyboards, the backing guitars, whatever—everything comes in just at the right moment, producing just the right effect, creating the perfect harmonies.  That is what great songwriting has done for this album.  However, everything can be just so and still turn out to be horribly banal if the musicians don’t have soul.  But Jonny is extremely passionate in his vocals and guitar playing, and having him give his all seems to help motivate the other musicians to do their best as well.  Despite some of the pop-like elements that crop up, you never feel anyone is just going through the motions, but rather trying to make the best, most enjoyable music possible.

The album marks a key point in the switch of focus in Jonny’s recordings from blues to Christian rock.  Perhaps this successful blending of two styles Jonny was passionate about helped to make this such a solid recording.  “Still Rainin,’” “Right Back,” and Luther Allison’s “Cherry Red Wine” are high-energy blues-rockers, while “Second Guessing,” “Breakin’ Me,” “Walking Away,” and “Leaving to Stay” are thoughtful, carefully crafted pieces with a softer side to them.  Choosing to cover a song by Prince may seem strange, but Jonny’s guitar sizzles on “I Am,” with its amazing blending of rock, blues, funk, hip-hop/R&B, and jazz.  “Angel of Mercy” and “Leaving to Stay” give a strong hint of the Christian direction Jonny will be taking on some of his subsequent recordings, although the former retains a strong bluesy feel.

The more I listen to this album, the more I appreciate how much it has to offer.  One can just put it on and rock out, but, as with most of the best albums, a close listen will reveal new and exciting musical details each time.  The combination of an inspired performer at a key point in his career with a great team of musicians, songwriters, and producers delivers a truly impressive result.  And he was only eighteen at the time.  I predict more good things to come.

Track Listing

1.  Still Rainin’—4:49

2.  Second Guessing—5:10

3.  I Am—5:04

4.  Breakin’ Me—4:32

5.  Wander this World—4:49

6.  Walking Away—4:14

7.  The Levee—3:41

8.  Angel of Mercy—4:30

9.  Right Back—3:59

10.  Leaving to Stay—4:35

11.  Before You Hit the Ground—3:55

12.  Cherry Red Wine—3:31

Amazon MP3 Clips

More on the songwriters

In researching for this review I read up a little on several of these great talents and couldn’t resist sharing briefly what I found:

Bruce McCabe wrote “Still Rainin’” and co-wrote “Second Guessing,” “Wander This World,” and “Angel of Mercy.”  A native of Iowa, he moved to Minneapolis and lent his keyboard talents to several prominent bands from the area before joining Lang in 1995.  Those bands include:  Aces, Straights, and Shuffles, with Kim Wilson; the Lamont Cranston Band; and the Hoopsnakes.

Kevin Bowe wrote “Leaving to Stay,” and with Jonny he co-wrote “Breakin’ Me,” “The Levee,” and “Before You Hit the Ground.”  While leading a Minneapolis band on guitar and vocals, he was discovered by producer David Z, and soon began writing songs for other artists.  His first major success was with “Riverside” on Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s debut album Ledbetter Heights.  His successes with the team of Jonny Lang and David Z led to collaborations with many other famous musicians, and his songs have been featured on numerous TV shows as well.

David Z co-wrote “Second Guessing” and Prince’s “I Am.”  He is most famous for his production work, based in Minneapolis and Nashville (which may partially explain some of Jonny’s own Nashville connections).  He worked closely with Prince to launch his career and contributed significantly to “Kiss” and “Purple Rain.”  He has also worked with the likes of Etta James, Billy Idol, Buddy Guy, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Jerry Lynn Williams co-wrote “Walking Away” with Lang and “Right Back” with guitarist Danny Kortchmar (who is also a notable singer-songwriter).  A Texas-born guitarist, he has written songs for Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and Bonnie Raitt.  A couple of his most famous songs are Delbert McClinton’s “Givin’ It Up for Your Love,” and the collaboration with Stevie Ray and Jimmy Vaughan, “Tick Tock.”