Guitar legend Eric Johnson was made for live albums. The proof is all over the re-release of “Live From Austin, TX,” the latest in the partnership between the PBS show Austin City Limits and New West Records. This re-release, originally out in 2005, is finally on vinyl and also available in a CD/DVD combo.
An Austin native, Johnson is clearly loving playing at this iconic studio in front of a local crowd. The set was recorded in 1988, at a time when Johnson only had one album out as was about to release “Ah Via Musicom,” arguably his best record. So, a bulk of the show includes cuts from those first two albums, as well as two Jimi Hendrix covers, “Love Or Confusion,” and a stellar take on “Are You Experienced?,” the show closer. It’s a pretty ballsy move for anyone to cover two Hendrix songs in one set, but Johnson, a guitar phenom since his pre-teens, pulls it off masterfully.
Backed by only a bassist and drummer, Johnson comes off as cool and confident, despite this set occurring so early in his career.
One of a handful of these classic Austin City Limits shows getting a proper re-release, the vinyl set is spread across two 180g LPs and comes with a beautiful gatefold cover.
Eric Johnson – Live From Austin, TX [CD/DVD & Vinyl/13 tracks/New West Records/2017 / http://www.newwestrecords.com/ /
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
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