| Johnny Lima Version 1.2 | Escape Music ESM123 |
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Johnny Lima is one of the good guys of melodic rock. He's also a portrayer of one of the very purest forms of the genre. Johnny is melodic rock and his Jovi-esque style has won him a lot of fans. With a new album only coming every couple of years or so, one could understand some frustration from fans that Johnny's new album is a re-recording of his out of print 1996 self-titled debut. But Version 1.2 is quite an improvement on the original (to say the least) and having heard the result I can understand Johnny's perfectionist tendencies nagging at him to correct the errors he saw in that original album. The hair might be a lot shorter now, but the attitude and the energy is every bit as good as the 1996 release. Sonically speaking, Version 1.2 is miles ahead of the original. The clarity is much clearer, the vocals are more powerful, and the sound of the instruments is so crisp and clear compared with the sometimes muddy debut. Johnny has not updated the style in any way; this is still an album of classic anthemic melodic rock n roll in that trademark Lima / classic Bon Jovi vibe. The guitars have a better tone, the vocals are stronger and the mix is more even. There are a couple of differences here – the track listing is slightly altered and track Speak Of The Devil has been removed and two brand new tracks – Drift Away and Fire Of Love – have been included. Drift Away is an acoustic driven melodic rocker that comes alive with a huge chorus hook that all fans of Lima will love. Classic! Fire Of Love is another anthemic rocker with some nice guitar licks and a Slippery When Wet Jovi vibe. Both tracks stay true to the sentiment and style of the original album and are a welcome addition. For those Lima fans not familiar with the debut, or at least only familiar with its cult status, this is an essential purchase. You just can't go past the melodic rock bliss of tracks like Little Runaway, Never Gonna Let U Go and the magnificent Into Your Arms. Fans of power ballads are catered for with the extended Here For You and Another Lonely Day.
Few artists get the chance to go back and correct or update their past and I can understand both sides of the argument for doing it or alternatively, leaving history as is. Generally I would side with letting it be, but this album remains very faithful to the original tracks and vibe. The sentiment may be a little dated in places, but it just sounds 100% better now!
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02/12/05: freddy de keyzer - freddk100@hotmail.com
30/11/05: Alan - baltiboy@btinternet.com
Rating: 80
If you like Bon Jovi old style, you'll like this !
That's the 'forte' and the 'weakness' of this man and his products.
NO own style at all, but he does it damn good and a lot better than, let's say, The Darkness !
A reasonable album, very melodic !
Rating: 95
Not privaleged enough to have heard the original version I'm unable to compare this against that release. All I can say is though, this is the reason I love the music we're all clinging desparetly onto.
Yeah sure this is dated, but who cares? I know I don't. The early Bon Jovi comparisons were always going to be there, but I feel there's something more than just labelling Jonny a jovi copy.
If you love melodic rock/early Bon Jovi/Blue Tears then I fail to see how you will not totally fall in love with this disc. In the words that Shades record store often used, Buy Or Die !!!!!!
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