Johnny A.: Sometime Tuesday Morning

Simply said, Johnny A. is one of the most original, compelling guitar talents to come along in quite some time. On Sometime Tuesday Morning his guitar creates dense musical shadings, conveying nostalgia, regret, hope and intrigue. The album’s title track, which one might imagine as the soundtrack to a David Lynch western, introduces his unique guitar voice: an echoey, tremulous feel that makes intriguing use of wah-wah pedal effects. Johnny jams and distorts on his lead, weaving a shadowy foreboding over lightly galloping rhythms. The guitarist uses this technique to convey a deep, sliding sense of loneliness and loss in an introspective cover of “Wichita Lineman,” and a slight wickedness in a romantic, slithering tango reinvention of the familiar surf tune “Walk Don’t Run.” A gorgeous, noir-jazzy take on the Beatles’ “Yes It Is” makes great use of harmony and dissonance for a strangely dark feel. And yes, Johnny can jam: From the jumping, swinging and stinging “Oh Yeah” to the hyperbolic, witty road tune “Tex Critter,” the guitarist’s dexterity takes center stage. Backed by the stalwart rhythm section of bassist Ed Spargo and drummer Craig MacIntyre, Johnny’s work can be brash and subtle, wiggy and serene, but it demands to be heard.

Originally Published October 1, 2001