Jonny Lang Long Time Coming CD

LONG TIME COMING may be Jonny Lang's third album, but in terms of creative growth, it may as well be considered a debut for this 22-year-old, who started out as a hotshot teenage guitar prodigy. Teaming with Pink/Aerosmith producer Marti Frederiksen, Lang took five years between albums and emerged with a collection of songs predominantly co-written by himself and Frederiksen, moving him well past an image that found him coming off like a Stevie Ray Vaughn imitator with peach fuzz. Instead, with this outing, Lang not only incorporated more R&B influences into his overall musical style, but his soul singing comes across as significantly more effortless. With just a hint of pop and classic rock in the mix, this lanky musician doles out a few surprises including "Touch," a sparse song brushed with the kind of beats and arrangements you might find on a Justin Timberlake outtake, and "Goodbye Letter" an anthem for broken-hearted suitors everywhere. Among the pleasant surprises included are the raucous roadhouse-flavored "Happiness and Misery," featuring harmonica accompaniment by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, and a gritty, live reading of Stevie Wonder's "Livin' for the City."

Not content to be respected for his talents as an above average blues-rocker, Jonny Lang makes a rather abrupt change on his third album. Unfortunately, it's a change towards a below-average, religiously inspired, hard rocking singer/songwriter. Arriving nearly five years after his last release, there is no problem with Lang realigning himself and staking his claim as a more "adult" musician. But between over-the-top vocals that sound like he's straining to zip up his trousers and turgid tunes that lie languid betwe

Recorded at MF Studio and The Attic, Monrovia, California.

Personnel includes: Jonny Lang (vocals, guitar); Marti Frederiksen (electric guitar, bass, drums, percussion); John Goux (guitar); Jim Cox (piano, Wurlitzer piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Scott Gordon (Wurlitzer piano, programming); Bruce McCabe (clavinet); Joey Waronker (drums); Lenny Castro (congas); Kayla Parker (background vocals); Steven Tyler; Anthony Hamilton.

Personnel: Jonny Lang (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, guitar synthesizer, percussion); Greg Poree, John Goux (guitar); Marti Frederiksen (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, keyboards, drums, percussion, background vocals); Songa Lee, Anatoly Rosinsky, Katia Popov, Robin Olson, Alan Grunfeld, Barbara Porter, Tiffany Hu, Franklyn d'Antonio, Joel Derouin, Jacqueline Brand, Roberto Cani, Bruce Dukov, Clayton Haslop, Natalie Leggett, Phillipe Levy, Sara Parkins, Armen Garabedian, Liane Mautner, Josephina Vergara, Berj Garabedian, Charlie Bisharat, Mario Diaz de Leon (violin); Matt Funes, Marlo Fisher, Vicki Miskolczy, Steve Gordon, Brian Dembow, Simon Oswell, Harry Shirinian, Samuel Formicola (viola); Paula Hochhalter, Tina Soule, Miguel Martinez, Suzie Katayama, Larry Corbett, Stephen Erdody, David Low , Cecilia Tsan (cello); Steven Tyler (harmonica); Dan Higgins (woodwinds); Gary Grant, Jerry Hey (trumpet); Bill Reichenbach Jr. (trombone); Jim Cox (piano, Wurlitzer organ); John Beasley (piano); Paul Santo, Bruce McCabe (Clavinet); Michael Bearden, Robbie Buchanan (keyboards); Ron Fair (vibraphone); Alex Al (electric bass); Abe Laboriel, Jr., Joey Waronker (drums); Lenny Castro (congas); Alex Acuña (percussion); Eminem (drum programming); Kayla Parker, Anthony Hamilton (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Chris Lord-Alge; Tony Maseratti; Tom Lord-Alge; Tal Herzberg.

Recording information: MF Studios (10/11/2001); Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, CA (10/11/2001); The Attic, Monrovia, CA (10/11/2001); Universal Studios, CA (10/11/2001).

Photographer: Kurt Iswarienko.

Arrangers: Jerry Hey; John Beasley; Jonny Lang; Ron Fair.

Blister Pack

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.