Customer Reviews

Johnny Hiland

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Johnny Hiland's debut is like a swift kick to the groin to what has become a rather mundane year for music this 2004. It has become a rule of thumb that to be just a straight guitar player anymore is just not good enough -unless, of course, you are an extraordinary player. Why incredible player/singers like Monte Montgomery go relatively un-noticed is beyond me. However, when is comes to an all instrumental release well, the bar is set just that much higher. Johnny Hiland is a six string slinger to be reckoned with.

This is an excellent collection of instrumentals with top notch musicianship from all. Song selection is most interesting as it offers the listener a great variety of styles ranging from hot chicken pickin' to metal ballads and everything in between. Hiland plays well beyond his years and demonstrates an encyclopedic knowledge of classic Telecaster licks and creative rock lines --an excellent dicotomy all on one great album. Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpy may seem like an odd fit but they are solid here with the very creative Sheehan is always an interesting listen.

Hiland is a great artist and this is an excellent release. This ain't morning zoo Cross and Lopez teeny bopper dreck. Highly recommended, super-charged guitar music.

The basic argument against giving this effort five stars is that the album doesn't flow because of the diversity of musical styles that are presented. Some reviewers have expressed that in effect, Johnny is not being true to himself or is still searching for his identity. These reviewers know of Johnny as a country player and have expressed a desire for him to live up to the expectations that country guitar fans have set for him. However, Johnny is first and foremost a guitar player. He appreciates good guitarists regardless of style and developed his versatile style quite deliberately. He credits everyone from Danny Gatton to Eddie Van Halen as having a profound influence on his development as a musician. Don't be confused, he's not trying to prove anything with this album. If you don't appreciate good guitar playing in general, i.e. if you only like country guitar, don't buy this album - in fact, you may want to avoid any of his future albums as well. Johnny is a guitar player's, guitar player. His music is a sophisticated fusion of virtuoso influences from many genres. And, while there are many styles presented here, Johnny's personality is distinctly evident on every piece. Thus, this album is likely an excellent representation of the "real" Johnny Hiland. Moreover this album is an absolute must have for any serious guitar player or audiophile.

Well, this CD has just arrived, and is playing now ... and I dont expect to stop playing it until ... oh, about Christmas, at the earliest !

Whilst everyone was raving about JH's (no, not THAT JH) range of styles, I am glad to say that this is not an cornucopia of styles, where you end up thinking "well I like the rock number, but that blues track needs missing out " ..... but a collection of 12 country flavoured, jazzy, finger and chickn' pickn' tracks which flow together perfectly, and if that is a style you like, then you will love all 12 tracks here, that is a certainty.

bits of Steve Morse picking pieces, such as "General Lee"; Danny Gatton, a bit of Michael Lee Firkins, and I am sure many other great players that I have not heard of, come together to make this a great and fun CD.

Well played, old chap .. you see, even us English can appreciate what is a very American style of music. When it is this good, you just cannot keep it to yourselves !

Steve Vai's label Favored Nation's latest release of guitarist Johnny Hiland is an excellent mix of country, rock and just plain outstanding guitar playing.
The self-titled debut disc by I'm proud to say, Maine native shows off this gifted players unbelievable skill and playing.
He's backed by bass legend Billy Sheehan, Pat Torpy (Mr. Big) on drums and Bill Holloman on saxaphone and keyboards.
His style is refreshing and is reminiscent of his many influences from Danny Gatton to Eric Johnson.
His fingerpicking style is just unbelievable.
Vai signed this kid from just a recording that was sent to him on his voicemail. That's how good he is.
Check him out. This is not the last you'll hear from him.

This CD showcases Johnny's versatile playing talent and style. He plays some sweet guitar 'licks' the whole way though the CD. I enjoy all types of guitar music, so for me, it's a great CD. Those that want just one type of song on this CD are forgetting it's his first CD and is impressive exactly the way it is: a compilation of great sounding tunes! 5 stars go to his playing ability/talent, no matter what you think of the song mix for his first CD. Branch out and enjoy, this CD is awesome.

I was privileged and more than pleased to have caught Johnny Hiland sitting in for a few numbers at a jazz/blues club in midtown Manhattan, just a week before this CD was released.

To be able to see and hear him live is an incredible experience and this CD of studio tracks captures him just about as well as can be, short of a live performance.

I immediately pre-ordered this CD and it has been consistently playing in my car and in my office.

As a long-time fan of the late Danny Gatton, I was immediately struck by Johnny's amazing versatility and mastery of various styles, ranging from country, rock, blues and -- in Gatton's own words -- "redneck jazz".

This debut effort makes one look forward to many, many releases in the years ahead by this talented young man.

If it's one thing Johnny Hiland can teach us all about the guitar, it's the difference between what is amazing, and what is astounding. There is a short list of the truly great players of the instrument, and there is a new list of the truly astounding ones, bearing only one name - Johnny Hiland. This man is simply in a class by himself, mastering both country and rock style. He has created a level of excellence on the guitar the likes of which we have not heard before, and perhaps never will again - he's that good. So, by all means everyone, go out and buy something so rare in musical artistry that it defies comparison.
You'll be glad you did.

Johnny Hiland has the best southern rock licks I've heard since Danny Gatton. Maybe I don't get out as much as I should, but this guy is the best I've heard in a while. Listening to Johnny play is like nothing else. He credits a lot of his success to Danny Gatton. If yo like Johnny Hiland look into Danny Gatton too. If you don't like this album you're crazy; no two ways about it.

If you appreciate great guitarist, like I do, then this is a cd you must have.
I had never heard of this guy until I was browsing amazon, and came across this debut album by Johnny Hiland.
I'm more of a Clapton, blues baby boomer, but I like, and appreciate great guitar playing of all types, and there is plenty of that here.
This guy can sound like Eric Johnson at times, and then he will play real county licks that are as good, or better than anything I've ever heard.
When I sampled the tunes online I was intrigued.
After listening the to whole cd I was very impressed, and now after listening to it many times, I find more and more to like about it.
WOW! What a talent.

Eponimous guitar instrumental CD. 43 mins. There are two reasons why you should check this out, (1) Johnny Hiland was/is a Nashville session guitarist and everyone knows (or should know) that they are a breed apart (all hail!), (2) it is produced by Steve Vai. Hmmm, you say, a country guitarist who can shred? And that's about right but not the whole story. I thought, at first, that the album was a portfolio or resume type affair and there is a little of that about it - more of a collection of (for want of a better word) stuff than a coherant whole. But I've come round and have enjoyed the album more the more I've played it. There is a lot of good country type stuff and some jazzier stuff, some mellow (slightly cheesy but nice) stuff but the influence of Vai is there even to the extent of the 'out takes' that creep in to certain tracks (a la Alien Love Secrets - a master piece) - I like that by the way, bit of humour never hurts. There is no doubt Hiland is up there with the best of country players and also that he can do the tapping, shred stuff although with less distortion and no wah that might be expected from the heavier shredders. I would love to see him live and would love to hear him play some blues. But most of all I think next time (I hope there is a next time) he should focus on what he regards as his 'thang'. We know he can play now let's hear what he WANTS to play. A short word for the backing musicians who are excellent, I mean EXCELLENT, with the bass solos (with harmonics thrown in for goodness sake!!) on some of the tracks totally outrageous- respect to them and to Johnny for giving them the space to be heard.