Vultures Await

Will Johnson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 7, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Misra Records
• ASIN: B0002QO36E
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,054 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

That Will Johnson is a powerful and prolific songwriter is not up for debate. His 200+ songs sustain three thriving, simultaneous musical entities: Centro-matic, South San Gabriel and his solo work. Johnson’s talent is well documented – Centro-matic’s 2003 release, Love You Just The Same, was the recipient of endless praise in the press, with mentions of Neil Young and the Replacements littering the reviews; South San Gabriel’s hallucinatory chamber country, especially live, has been noted by such outlets as the New York Times.

After a seemingly endless itinerary of tour dates (including stints with My Morning Jacket, Death Cab For Cutie, Ben Kweller and more), Johnson has opted to strip things down on his second solo album. Vultures Await blends the minimalism of Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band with the classic Americana of Springsteen’s Nebraska. It carries the darkness absent in Johnson’s other projects, but is not just somber – an underlying hopefulness flows through these songs. Stark vocal melodies cut a swath to Appalachia; ghosts of roadhouse barmen backing up against Flannery O’Connor are interwoven throughout piano ballads, acoustic elegies and, occasionally, fully fleshed-out pop songs that carry the seamless, rough emotion of a Southern literary genius. Sit back, have a drink and spend a little time with this one. You won’t regret it.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars will does it once again, September 18, 2004

By 

Marvin Mckee "tallyho" (Tallahassee, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vultures Await (Audio CD)

what an amazingly prolific songwriter - just keeps churning out great stuff. after six full length cds and numerous eps with centro-matic, two excellent south san gabriel cds, will now offers up a second superb "solo" effort. i say "solo" because will is once again joined by by centro mates scott (fiddle) and matt (drum programming?). however, will plays all instruments other than fiddle, showcasing the extraordinary musical talent that he is. as is the case with many of my favorite cds, vultures await took a few listens to appreciate the full package. some highlights are the tom waitsesque 'catherine dupree'; nice scott fiddle on 'just some silence' and 'sleep a while'; the upbeat 'just to know youve been dreaming' (nice piano chorus line); rhythm and blues on 'fly, my sweet dove'; will and an acoustic guitar 'as victims would' and 'a thousand other parts'; personal fav 'closing down my house'. fabulous stuff. word is that the guys are working on the next south san gabriel. cant wait.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, Delicate and Ambitious, September 26, 2004

By 

M. Gaines (Alabama, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vultures Await (Audio CD)

WIll Johnson maintains the crown 'most prolific' of any performer/songwriter/band member within the canon of American contemporary recording artists of this century. A cultural icon to those who are aware of his abilities while an outer fringe cult artist to those whom have not a clue.

"Catherine Dupree" and "Just To Know What You've Been Dreaming" are just two of the songs that most recording artists today would kill to have written and recorded.

The beauty of Will's music, solo as well as with Centro Matic, is the sense of past musical accomplishments set by others, revisting those places of reference without reguritating, emerging with a true sense of musical purpose and scope.

These are wide musical landscapes to loose oneself, a place of solitude and reflection, poetic and powerfull, delicate yet balanced. Truly amazing in magnitude. Listen and be prepared to be drawn into the musical world of Will Johnson and Centro Matic, contenders that lerk behind the curtains, waiting to be disclosed to those who will listen............