[rating=9.00]
Jonny Lang’s seventh studio album, Signs, is his loudest and most rocking to date. Though rooted firmly in the blues, the Fargo-based guitar prodigy has always incorporated different styles into his sound. Lang has been able to transcend the clichés and limitations of standard blues music by incorporating gospel and R&B (Turn Around), folk (Fight For My Soul), and rock (Long Time Coming) in a way that keeps his music fresh.
With Signs, Lang dials up raw power, aggression, and energy as never before. Big Jimmy Page-esque riffing and propulsive rhythms drive most of the songs, a strong departure for a guitarist who has usually favored minimalism over power. “Snakes” is powered by a strong garage rock shuffle. “I remember thinking if this is gonna be my last breath, I better use it to pray; Heaven must’ve been listening ‘cause I’m still alive today,” Lang sings, chugging his way through a riff that sounds as though the strings are caked in mud.
Songs like “Last Man Standing” and “Into the Light” similarly thrive on Lang’s newfound mastery of hard rock riffing. On the former, Lang lays down dynamic riffs that alternate between fast palm-muting and loud ringing chords. “I’m holding on with both hands; I’m gonna fight like it’s my last chance,” Lang sings in a full-throated gravelly growl. The latter track contrasts a hopeful song about salvation with the rumbling bass and guitar combo that emphasizes brokenness.
Though Lang’s hard rock chops shine the brightest on Signs, the 36-year-old wunderkind has not abandoned the blues music on which he cut his teeth. Even as the amp settings are different, Signs carries the emotional heft, the classic themes of loss and faith, and the soulfulness of blues. Part of that is in Lang’s evocative vocals, which carry more emotion in a single note than in an entire power ballad of most singers. Part of it is in the blues-influenced rhythms of songs like the title track. Part of it is in Lang’s blistering guitar solos, which are just as impressive as in his earlier work but now come with a bit more of an edge.
Loud rock doesn’t make up the entire sonic pallet of Signs, though. “Bring Me Back Home” and “Singing Songs” are soft crooners, allowing Lang’s singing and songwriting to take center stage. Strong R&B and funk influences carry “What You’re Made Of,” even as the song suffers from the album’s weakest lyrics.
The greatest moments of Signs come in the album’s first song, “Make It Move.” Lang slaps his way though the stomping acoustic riff, his voice alternating between soft falsetto and raspy scream. “It’s a quiet lie but in my mind the sound is deafening,” he sings, referring to thoughts of regret and shame. Bass and electric guitar join the song at the chorus, which slowly builds into a more powerful song about self-reliance. The song stands as a microcosm for the accomplishment that is Signs, the skillful melding of rock, blues, and soul in a way that breaks new ground while still remaining true to the very essence that has long defined Jonny Lang.
