Customer Reviews

John Davis

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an amazing album, if you can get past the religious overtones! I'm not a christian and I do not agree with some of the lyrics on the album but you can look at it this way, George Harrison's amazing solo debut "All Things Must Pass" also has religious overtones, but you can quickly look past the lyrics and enjoy the music and the beautiful melodies. The same can be said for John's first album. The album reminds of "All Things Must Pass", "Pet Sounds", and Superdrag's "In The Valley Of Dying Stars". Like I stated before, don't let the "Christian Rock" label make you pass on this album. It truly is a beautiful album. And yes it does have some hard rockin' Superdrag like songs (ie. Nothing Gets Me Down!!). So do yourself a favor and purchase this album.

These days, Christian music just doesn't do much for me. It either comes off too preachy or just too abstract and makes you wonder why the artist didn't just go secular to begin with. Being a HUGE Superdrag fan, I was somewhat reluctant to hear this release. Now that I have heard it, it is mind-blowingly (is that a word?) good. Arguably, if John Lennon had been a devout Christian when he put out the Plastic Ono Band album it may have sounded very similar to this. Don't get me wrong, Davis makes no bones about his new faith and direction, this is blatantly spiritual. But the songs on here are among his very best against the Superdrag catalog. The production is great and his voice is exceptional. Do yourself a favor...Christian or otherwise, pick this up soon. It is a power-pop masterpiece.

If Brian Wilson had tithed to a Pentecostal church instead of to his meddling shrink Dr. Landy, he'd sound something like this. Davis, who spent over a decade leading punky poppers Superdrag, now multitracks his voice to trill about Jesus and salvation. And if it helped him achieve his goal (sobriety) and still permits him to write lovely secular hymns to his squeeze ("Me & My Girl"), let's hear it for a Higher Power. Davis really cranks the fuzzed-guitar and massed-choral power-pop on "Nothing Gets Me Down" and "Too Far Out," and for every mid-tempo supplication to cast out Satan ("Jesus Gonna Build Me a Home"), there are at least three more splendid psychedelic crunchers right behind, keeping Davis's music rooted in the glowing flesh.

So, I'm a "Head Trip..." & "Regretfully..." -era Superdrag fan who has been doing the "I wonder where they are now" thing lately and discovered two additional Superdrag records "In the Valley of the Dying Stars" (2000) and "Last Call for Vitriol" (2002) which I was happy to find and purchase. I liked what was happening with "Last Call..." and still need to give "In the Valley..." more time. BUT, BUT, BUT!!!!!

I checked out John's solo albums and HOLY MOSES (no pun)!!! What a great album! Now, I grew up around christian music and had some local band faves that were christian rock, but this John Davis record is amazing even if it were I-worship-the-dustbunny-under-my-bed rock.

John's writing and performance is capturing his best moments in Superdrag ON EVERY SONG! What a solid, solid, solid effort here. I am so psyched!

This is a great record. A must for any Superdrag fans, but an even bigger must for those of you who listen to Christian music. This has got to be THE album of Christian rock for 2005, probably for many years before. It has a quality of music unmatched in the genre (think Beach Boys, Beatles, Superdrag of course) and the lyrical honesty of Keith Green. Its awesome.

If you like The Beatles or rock n roll, in any capacity, you NEED to have this CD in your collection. It is simply incredibly and horrifically impressive. John Davis is a music genious as plays almost 20 insturments himself on this record. An incredible deal for such powerful and amazing music!

I put the new solo CD from ex-SUPERDRAG singer JOHN DAVIS in my player with some trepidation, but no matter - upon first listen, all is well with the world. No matter your religious bent, you cannot deny the sheer power, pop craftsmanship, music chops, and authentic HEART of these songs. While I'm a big fan of gospel music, due to Davis' uncompromising lyrical stance (i.e. vulnerable, honest, dare I saw SPIRITUAL content), most if not lal of these songs will have a hard time getting on MTV2, much less college/rock radio playlists. Still, this is truly a deeply-felt album if there ever was one, Davis' new direction might alienate many of his old fans, but TRUE longtime fans of SUPERDRAG will gladly come along for the ride - from the plaintive opener I HEAR YOUR VOICE to fuzzed-out rave-ups like TOO FAR OUT, this is rich, affecting, powerful stuff that reminds you just how SOULFUL rock & roll can be - and how SOUL-LESS most of pop/rock music is. This terrific CD deserves to be much, much higher on the sales rank than 16,000+?! Buy one today! Support John Davis!

John Davis has created a pop gem with his first solo album, a collection of tunes that erupt from the depths of his heart. Embracing religion and finding meaning in his life was the greatest thing to ever happen to his craft. A smooth transition from song to song, the diversity found in each track make the listneing experience enjoyable on each turn. Although the Christian rock scene may have a hard time excepting something as original and different as this, long time rock fans a Superdrag fans alike will find something to cherish about this album. AMAZING spirituallity transfused with rock AND roll.

You can't deny John Davis' knack for melody regardless of the lyrical content.
Even the non-religious amoung us can't deny the lure of the Beatles/Beach Boys inspired hooks.
Superdrag fans won't be disappointed and new fans will be scrambling for a copy of Head Trip.
I've been humming these melodies for days now.
Simply genius !!!

What a fantastic record. In college, I was a fan of Superdrag. They were supposed to be one of the next big things! So ,when I heard that their ex-frontman had a solo CD, I was very interested in hearing it. And the fact that he had parted ways also with his partying rock-n-roll lifestyle, and found God intrigued me even more!
The album does not let you down! From the first to last track, it is pure pop and rock magic! John wears all of his influences on his sleeve, but always adds his own wonderful flavor to his creation. Traces of Brian Wilson, Tom Petty, Matthew Sweet, Badfinger...all seep from this album, but with a new orginality that breathes life into your stereo.
I truly think it is one of the best albums I've heard all year!
He proclaims his faith boldly, yet his music is completely approachable for even the most faithless! Sadly, he will probably never be embraced by the Christian music community, due to the fact that they simply cannot handle something so artistic, honest and original. And the rest of the music world just might be scared enough by his Christian lyrics that he won't get the radio time he richly deserves!
DO NOT BE ONE OF THESE FOLKS!!!!!! This album is musical bliss! It will fill your head with harmony and happiness, so please give a tragically underated and unknown musician a chance. I doubt you will find disappointment.