The name Damon Johnson should be no stranger to rock fans worldwide, as the gifted guitarist/singer/songwriter has contributed both his musical skills as well as his songs to acts such as Brother Cane, Thin Lizzy, Black Star Riders, Alice Cooper, Stevie Nicks, Ted Nugent, Skid Row, Queensryche, Carlos Santana, and others over his lengthy career. Echo is his brand new solo EP, and he handles all the guitars, vocals, and other various instruments, with the line-up being rounded out by drummer Jarred Pope and bassist Tony Nagy. With only 5 songs, this isn't a lengthy EP by any means but it sure does hit hard and provide plenty of memorable moments. "Dead" kicks things off in fine fashion, a riffy hard rocker with plenty of crunchy guitar licks as well as hooks aplenty. The same can be said for "Nobody Usin' ", an upbeat heavy rocker that could have easily slid into the Black Star Riders repertoire, with a can't miss chorus and plenty of fat riffs. Things slow down for the melodic & moody ballad "The Waiting Kills Me", a tune where Johnson gets to show off his vocal talent, while "Scars" is more of a rootsy rocker, again featuring great vocals and addicting hooks. The EP ends with the upbeat rocker "Just Move On", which has a sort of Bob Seger feel to it but a bit heavier, again complemented by some great melodies and plenty of Johnson's gritty guitar work.
Every song here is instantly memorable, and it's not hard to get swept away by the catchy hooks as well as the fine guitar work that are a big part of every song. If Damon Johnson ever wanted to launch a full time solo gig based on the expert material here, he has a very bright future ahead of him if he should choose to go that route. Well done!
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Dead
2) Nobody Usin'
3) The Waiting Kills Me
4) Scars
5) Just Move On
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