'Below Sea Level' is the second solo album by Louisiana based blues guitarist Eric Johanson. A striking release, it quickly dispels with any hint of the curse of the difficult second album.
Mixing blues riffs and heavy beats ‘Buried Above Ground’ provides a strong introduction to the album with its tribute to the tenacity of the people of Johanson’s adopted home town of New Orleans, and their ongoing struggles with the elements.
During the song, Johanson’s vocal delivery harmonised with his guitar gives the impression of a howling storm crashing over the listener. The boogie-driven ‘Nowhere to Go’, is a song that speaks for everyone who went through COVID-19 lockdown, and the video recorded during that period of isolation features a host of Johanson’s friends and family in starring roles.
Underpinning Johanson’s ferocious guitar work is the solid rhythm section of Cody Dickinson on drums and Terence Grayson on bass. Together they form a solid anchor for Johanson and without doubt, have formed one of the tightest rhythm sections in contemporary blues.
Slowing things down, ‘Open Hearted Woman’ not only allows Johanson to show his note-holding ability on a fretboard, but also his intuitive feel for the blues. The melancholic and brooding ‘Riverbend of Oblivion’ deals with the pain and loss suffered through addition. A difficult subject at the best of times, Johanson’s impassioned guitar work cries out imparting the pain and loss contained within the song.
Rounding out the album, ‘Riverbend Blues’ is an acoustic nod to classic delta blues. Delicate picking and subtle slide mixed with Johanson’s honest vocal style again shows that he’s an artist who understands and loves the blues. It also leaves the listener hungry for more of his acoustic recordings.
‘Below Sea Level’ is an exciting album that’s full of great songs and passionate music. In many ways this release re-invigorates the genre, proving that Eric Johanson is an artist whose star is definitely in ascendance.