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- Verified Buyer
Comparing Eric Johnson's "Tones" among his other work is difficult, if not impossible. Over the years of Eric's career, his style of playing and singing has changed somewhat. "Tones" is among Eric's earlier work, but it is not without merit. There are plenty of songs that will pique your curiosity on this recording, most notably to my ears, 'Soulful Terrain', 'Friends', 'Emerald Eyes', 'Off My Mind', and 'Zap'."Tones" is a work of nouveaux art, especially for the year 1986. Eric is years ahead of his contemporaries, regards pleasing aesthetic qualities, and song structure.One must remember that in 1986, the majority of music was of the New Wave and Hair Band era. Eric is neither of these, and "Tones" stands out among his constituents as a truly new form of music that has a place among talented artists that will unlikely be matched by others. Granted, there are other musicians who are nearing Eric's level of expertise when it comes to ability, but to include songwriting and arrangement as part of their talent, Eric remains a standout.The reason this review began on such a questionable note was that Eric has since recorded several other CDs that are more recognizable by the musical arts community. As Eric continues to progress and develop his style, we can be assured that as guitarists and listeners, we will not be disappointed."Tones" deserves its own place in history, but should not be forgotten. If a musician or casual listener wants to hear the future, just listen to Eric Johnson. Eric Johnson's work is always new, fresh, and enjoyable to hear.
