by Jonny Lang List Price:$13.00 Our Price:$13.00 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Product Details
Media: Audio CD
Release Date: Tuesday, October 20, 1998
Label: A&M Records
Average Customer Review: 4 Based on 165 reviews.
Sales Rank: 1853
Tracks
1.
Leaving to Stay
2.
Before You Hit the Ground
3.
Cherry Red Wine
4.
Right Back
5.
Angel of Mercy
6.
Levee
7.
Walking Away
8.
Wander This World
9.
Breakin' Me
10.
I Am
11.
Second Guessing
12.
Still Rainin'
13.
Breakin' Me
14.
Still Rainin'
Editorial Review
One would think that jumping into the pop-rock marketplace after being branded a blues player might confuse a 17-year-old guitar whiz. No way. Jonny Lang, with the lucid advice of ace producer David Z, understands the role of the blues as solid ground for someone who wants to take flight with intelligent, well-crafted music that has a wide audience. His second album's strengths lie with his gruffly appealing singing voice and his lean, razor-edged guitar phrases. The material is solid, with songs that range stylistically from the ingratiating funk number "I Am" (a hitherto unrecorded David Z and Prince composition), to the it-sure-sounds-like-a-rock-hit "Still Rainin'" (complete with thunderous chords and soulful female backup singers), to a griddle-hot take on the late Chicago blues guitarist Luther Allison's "Cherry Red Wine." All 12 songs are of a piece, tied together by Lang's unassailable musical integrity and his freshness of vision. And R&B master guitarist Steve Cropper is on hand in the Minneapolis recording studio to insure the soulful vibe. --Frank- John Hadley
Top Customer Reviews
Rating:
5 Simply Unbelievable!
Jonny Lang has come quite a ways from his first two albums, the first being "Kid Jonny Lang" and the second being "Lie to Me". I enjoyed both of those immensely, but when I got "Wander this World", I was impressed. Sure, he isn't where he will be another tens years from now, but the young man has so much talent, so much potential, I am personally looking forward to watching the development of Mr. Lang. This album has such a rounded quality about it, from his funk stage of "I Am", to his soulfulness of "Wander This World", or "Leaving to Stay". He gives you a bit of everything, from the guitar-blues in "Still Rainin'", to the Memphis blues of "Cherry Red Wine", or "The Levee". I would recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys great blues, and rock thrown in to boot.
Rating:
4 A Blues God In The Making, Hopefully
A drug for your ears, Lang swagger-rocks in a continuing quest towards the best ax slingers in town, a ticket punching-process to the pantheon of blues gods. Considering the longevity that blues artists must produce for, it's a long ride, surely, but from the hard rocking bluesy mind-blower "Still Rainin'" to the slower anthem "Leave to Stay", his voice is his best hope, and the licks on the guitar are also solid if a mite predictable. Regardless, this man makes it sound like he was born strapped to a Stratocastor, and perhaps he was -- Lang was touring the farms and juke joints in the midwest when he was 14. "Still Rainin" is the best track on the album, no doubt, and the ballad "Breakin' Me"... It's hard to imagine that, like an even younger Shannon Curfman, there is something true behind these songs, the smoky knowledge of life that make the older blues gods so intriguing and the songs so powerful. But let's give props to patience, the guy's not even 21.
Rating:
5 Age ain't nuthin' but a number
Jonny Lang has it -- whatever it is -- call it musical integrity, roots, passion, feel or a simple and real sense of the song. His age is irrelevant. He had it as a kid and is only getting better and more refined. And his songwriting is just as inspired. I'm a huge fan of the blues and you cannot deny the wondrous blues foundation of Johnny's music. It's in the heart of his performance. No wonder it's so soulful, free-spirited and without any posturing or self-importance. I fell in love with this record on my first play. There's no need to keep Jonny in the traditional 16-bar blues format -- he's got a lot to say and he needs a mosaic of musical styles in which to create. Bravo Jonny! This endorsement comes from a 30-something-year-old singer/songwriter who takes her music very seriously. You have captured my attention and I look forward to all you have to offer now and in the future! You're a breath of much-needed fresh air in this "business" of music.
Rating:
5 A BLUES LEGEND IN THE MAKING!!
After hearing Lie to Me, I was hooked. The song Still Rainin' was a good song to make a single, but I also like some others on the CD. I love Breakin' Me and Leaving to Stay mostly because they are different from his other hard-rock songs. I also bought the Kid Jonny Lang and the Big Bang CD, and I was surprised. I thought since the songs were made a long time ago he would sound like the lost Hanson brother, but I was wrong. Jonny is an amazing talent and I can't wait to hear some great new tunes. Keep up the great work, Jonny!! P.S.-If you ever get a chance to go see him in concert, definitely go because he sure puts on a great show!
Rating:
4 Lighten up, he's just a kid.
When he was still Kid Jonny (16), he used to come over from Fargo to play in Brainerd (yes, that Fargo and Brainerd). We knew then that we would be seeing a future Blues star and he packed 'em into the old hardware store converted to a bar to the tune of about 1200 people. We saw him several times with The Big Bang and his band on Lie to Me. Jonny was never the best musician on the stage. In the Big Bang, his guitar teacher who was in the band was a better guitarist.In his next band, Bruce McCabe on keyboards is phenomenal (pick up a CD by The Hoopsnakes to check out his talent featured and look who wrote Still Rainin', Second Guessing, Wander This World and Angel of Mercy on WTW, and Lie to Me, Darker Side, and Rack 'em Up on LTM). What Jonny did have was stage presence, his young age, and a lot of talent that he has worked hard at developing and maturing. No he's not SRV, (see Walter Trout live if you want to get closer to that), no he hasn't "paid his dues"... no more than any other 19 year old growing up in the Upper Midwest in a "normal" family and community. He happened to hear The Blues, love them, and chose to work extremely hard at learning to play, sing, and eventually write them. Much the same that any of you adoring, young fans could do at something you loved and chose to work as hard as Jonny has at his passion. Just as Lie to Me was, this is very good music, not totally what I was expecting, but still entertaining. For my sake and other Blues lovers, I hope he stays grounded in the Blues because Jonny has a great future. He deserves it because he has talent and he's worked very hard developing it.
Rating:
5 Jonny Lang - Wander This World
A brilliant album, a must have for anyone, especially a fan of blues. Lang is probably one of the more accessible (to mainstream) blues artists out now, but dont let the youth or anything else dissuade you, he sounds forty and writes songs as such and amazingly manages to convey a real feeling of experience. Despite the fact that he's young, he's got the chops and The Voice to pull off the sound; B.B. King took the guy on tour. The entire album is worth the price of the track "Breakin' Me" which is a fricken amazing song. As typical in the genre, there's a few gospel-like tracks, but most of the songs deal with heartbreak and getting by. The entire thing's worth buying for the one song, and you'll probably end up likeing the rest too if you give it a try.
Rating:
5 A CD that will make you a True Lang Fan
A friend gave this CD to me for a birthday present. Since listening to the songs the first time, I have been hooked on Jonny. This CD has everything from Rock/blues, ballads, to Louisana Blues! There is something for everyone. This CD also shows how much this young man is maturing in his talents. A MUST have for anyone that likes good music! It hooked me on this man...and I have no doubt that it will do the same for you!Walkin' Away, Breakin' Me, Cherry Red Wine, I Am....my very favorites...but ALL are great tunes.Enjoy your purchase, it's worth every penny!
Rating:
5 You Go Boy!
I first had heard of Jonny Lang when he worked with the Hanson brothers on their This Time Around album. I went to my local musci store and picked up a copy of Wander This World. I immediately opened it up when I got home and popped it into my CD player. I listened to it about three times before I realized that I loved it. I couldn't believe a guy with a voice like that looked so great. He has a voice that I couldn't get out of my head when I went to bed that night. All the songs on it are great, with my fave being "Leaving To Stay" and Lang's guitar playing had me wanting more. I am defintely a Jonny Lang fan now, but I didn't always like the blues, but Jonny got me to change my mind. I can't wait until his next album, I'll be thei first to buy it. Jonny, you go boy!
Rating:
4 It grows on you..
At first when I listened to this album, I was somewhat disapointed. It seemed like "Still Raining" and "Breakin' Me" were the only good songs. After listening to it about 5 times though, I decided Those and "Second Guessing" are the best, but the others are pretty darn good too! I prefer "Lie To Me" but this albums good. The two albums are quite different though, I guess this one is more rock/pop/R&B but still with a lot of blues? I don't know, but "Lie To Me" sounds a lot more bluesy. "Breakin' Me" is a very nice ballad that I love! "Leaving to Stay" is another great old fashioned ballady song with great backup vocals (I'm actually listening to that now). "Still Raining" is a truly great opener. Some of the songs on the album are somewhat forgettable, like "Right Back" and "Angel Of Mercy" (and that one has such a great title!) but they're not bad, just forgettable. Jonny sometimes uses his amazing voice a little too much on the album (aka, he oversings) but that has actually grown on me too. He totally rocks all the guitar solos though! I still perfer "Lie To Me" but I play both CD's all the time! "Wander This World" takes a few listens but its good. Its really good. More like 4.5 stars I guess.
Rating:
3 Don't Put too Much faith in it
This is a classic example of follow-up disc. In this case, the album has gone too much to the producers. The songs themselves are good, but on most of the tracks, Jonny's voice is so mixed out that you can hardly here him. Which is a shame, because Jonny has an amazing voice. There are some good songs on there, and his guitar playing is good. But compared to Lie To Me, this just seem weak
Rating:
4 Kid Blues
This is an astounding CD from one so young as the 17 year old Jonny Lang. Lang not only gives evidence that he is destined for guitar hero status, but his vocals are amazingly powerful and emotive. His voice sounds like it's got a lifetime of cheap whiskey and cigarettes and second-hand seedy bar smoke behind it, all adding to the illusion of a veteran blues man who's paid his dues to near excess. If it matters to you at all, you'll find it necessary to remind yourself that this is a 17 year old who is singing these mournful songs of woe. In fact, it is best to forget about Lang's age when you listen to this CD (hard as that will be to do when every reviewer - myself included - harps incessantly about his age). There is no way that this middle class white boy can describe the experience of "Wander this World," and for such a youth to put his voice to a meaningful rendition of "Cherry Red Wine" is absurd. Except that it works. "Wander this World" is very believably done, and "Cherry Red Wine" is by far my favourite track on the CD, sung with a growl that magnifies the grief and pathos of the lyrics. Ultimately, once the shock of the realisation of his age passes, you will come to further realise that Lang's age is not an issue. Lang is far removed from a kid with promise. He is now a budding master who has grasped his promise and is getting comfortable with it.
Rating:
3 Getting a lot better, but not quite there yet...
When I first heard "Still Rainin'" on the radio this summer I thought it was pretty good, seeing as how Lang himself doesn't write most of his own songs. I know a lot of people are really in love with this guy, and that's fine, but I personally don't think that Lang's music is THAT wonderful. I think he sounds like a lot of the current crop of blues musicians (i.e. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Corey Stevens, etc.). He's a real good technician, and one thing that I liked about this new album is that he doesn't sound quite as coached, not quite as mass-produced. Frankly, if I were on the marketing staff at A&M, if I could turn back time, I would've released this album as Jonny's major-label debut and saved "Lie To Me" for an album of unreleased demos and b-sides to come out on the artists' 50th birthday. The songs sound a lot better this time around, but what I can't stand is the way the production team dresses up everything to sound like a pop record, just like they did the first time. I also think "Wander This World" could use some looser drumming. If you heard the cover "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl" from "Lie To Me", you might get an idea of what I'm talking about. I think that in regards to Jonny Lang, everyone needs to chill out and let this little sprout grow some more before we go hacking the fruit off the vine. Overall, the picture's better, but I still think Lang's music could benefit greatly from a little more textural variety (beyond clavinets and echo pianos) and a little more stylistic variety as well.
Rating:
5 The boy is destined for greatness
"Lie To Me" is fantastic, "Wander This World" is beyond that. I have the cassette in my car and listen to nothing else for days on end whenever I have to go anywhere. I keep the CD in the stereo for those moments when I need a Jonny Lang fix. By far, my favorite song is "Leaving To Stay." I often rewind it to listen a second time. The Rythym and Blues mixed with gospel, turned up a notch has my entire family singing along. I have, on numerous occassions, had friends take a listen in hopes of getting them hooked on the music of this amazing voice. I have even had complete strangers listen to his CD. My daughter had the opportunity to work with a Japanese band recently and I mentioned Jonny Lang to one band member and handed him the CD. He had the other members take a listen and all were impressed. "Wander This World" deserves to be shared with the world. I'm starting with Japan.
Rating:
3 Don't Put too Much faith in it
This is a classic example of follow-up disc. In this case, the album has gone too much to the producers. The songs themselves are good, but on most of the tracks, Jonny's voice is so mixed out that you can hardly here him. Which is a shame, because Jonny has an amazing voice. There are some good songs on there, and his guitar playing is good. But compared to Lie To Me, this just seem weak
Rating:
5 One of the Best CD's of the Year!
Youth has its own special grace. This is one of the best CD's of 2000 or any year! It's safe to say Jonny Lang is a prodigy, although some credit has to go to producer David Z. There's not a bad track here, but "I Am," (co-written by Prince, David Z, and Levi Seacer, Jr.) "Angel of Mercy," and "Wander This World" are three astonishing standouts. Better still is "Right Back," written by Jerry Lynn Williams and Danny Kortchmar. Even better than that is "Before You Hit the Ground," written by Kevin Bowe and Mr. Lang. And best of all is the brilliant (Bowe/Lang) "Breakin Me," already a radio hit. Discussing blues influences is like peeling back layers of an onion to find a center, but I definitely hear echos of the great Paul Butterfield Blues Band, especially in the drumming and piano arrangements. What pushes Lang ahead of other great guitarists such as Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton is his singing voice, reminiscent of Joe Cocker's style. Do we do the boy harm raving about his work at such a young age? If he can withstand the ravages of fame, there's not much telling what this kid can come up with. Get this--it's a masterpiece.
Rating:
5 Review From A Non-Blues Expert
I may not know what "real" blues are but this guy has made a musical impression on me. Wow. This is awesome stuff. Now, the real kicker is that this project was produced, engineered, and mixed by David Z. known for his work with Prince and various Prince protogee artists. In fact, the cut I Am was written none other than by Prince himself...not to get sidetracked, but Jonny Lang is no flash in the pan or a novelty act. The kid has got "it"...Powerful voice and brilliant guitar player ! This is a highly recommended listen, especially for those like myself who love music by the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan and the lesser known Doyle Bramhall...Jonny Lang as a young rock and blues prodigy?...without a doubt( but then again, seriously, I'm no expert)...
Rating:
5 best album i've heard this year!!
First of all, let me just call that "music fan" from Georgia a moron, because that's what he is. I'm entirely sick of people saying that Jonny needs to "pay his dues" in order to sing the blues. You don't think guys like Stevie Ray were playing the blues when they were 17? People wonder how he can sing the blues when he's so young- I say it's better than him singing about the garbage that pop and new rock acts are singing about! Also, I'm from Minnesota and saw Jonny play back when he was still "Kid" Jonny Lang- and if you don't think he had to play in some dives to get where he is now, guess again. All in all, I'd say he's amazing, and so is this new album. One last thing- Wander this World is NOT his second album. He put out an album when he was still a member of "The Big Bang." If you want to see how far he's come, check that one out.
Rating:
4 exhilirating peice of blues work for a up and coming star.
This cd marks an astonishment on an ever growing career in blues for a 18 year guitarist from minnasota.He mixes blues with a modern blend of his own,with catchy songs such as (breakin me,second guessing and i am)to the deep song enthusiasm he puts in such great song as the leeve and cherry red wine. He surely will someday follow in a great group of guitarist's such as eric clapton and jimi hendrix he can only get better in time. This cd his second following the prior release LIE TO ME is a 4 star only miscounting for 1 star cause he is just so young but just oh so talented WANDER THIS WORLD is every thing you want in a blues/modern rock compilation so i recommend you buy this for an ever loving blues fan in your home they certainly will enjoy. If this review isn't enough to convince you check out the sample show above to listen to this great young bluesman crank out the rock solid blues.
Rating:
5 Age ain't nuthin' but a number
Jonny Lang has it -- whatever it is -- call it musical integrity, roots, passion, feel or a simple and real sense of the song. His age is irrelevant. He had it as a kid and is only getting better and more refined. And his songwriting is just as inspired. I'm a huge fan of the blues and you cannot deny the wondrous blues foundation of Johnny's music. It's in the heart of his performance. No wonder it's so soulful, free-spirited and without any posturing or self-importance. I fell in love with this record on my first play. There's no need to keep Jonny in the traditional 16-bar blues format -- he's got a lot to say and he needs a mosaic of musical styles in which to create. Bravo Jonny! This endorsement comes from a 30-something-year-old singer/songwriter who takes her music very seriously. You have captured my attention and I look forward to all you have to offer now and in the future! You're a breath of much-needed fresh air in this "business" of music.
Rating:
4 Rock solid album
Yeah, Yeah, I know.... He is a sellout. People these days like to say "contrived" because they think it makes them sound smart. This is a really good albumwith the mix of alot of things.. You hear Blues, Soul,Rock and a small bit of pop. Really, I think all ofthese things made the album as strong as it is.I think blues albums need this or they start to becomerepetitive. This album is just full of really goodsongs that have some blues playing with soul likevocals. It mixs alot of the different genres I listentoo.Best tracks:-Second Guessing-Walking Away-Cherry Red Wine-Still Rainin'-Wander This World-The Levee-Breakin Me-Leaving To StayIt's a real shame he went to far pop on his next album.
Rating:
5 Another rockin' winner
This cd blew me away. I could gush on for pages, but will cite just one song that I feel justified my purchase of this cd: "Breakin' Me". It is truly a beautiful song crafted with such emotional delivery that it touches me every time I listen to it. So far, the boy can do no wrong.
Rating:
5 Jonny is amazing....
I own all his CD's and have seen him in concert twice. I just had to re-purchase Wonder this World (my sister took my first copy after seeing him in concert). The emotion he pours into his music is amazing. My sister and I had the great luck to meet him on January 29, 2005 (his birthday) after his concert. Not only was he polite and accommodating he was humble when given praise. He was sweet enough to sign autographs, talk with us and take a picture with us. We will be seeing him in concert again next week. People who do not appreciate his music or have not found out about him are missing something special.
