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For a songwriter whose lyrics dwell on anxiety and loneliness, Freedy Johnston's music is exuberantly melodic. Full of power chords, Johnston's new CD,
Right Between the Promises (Elektra), is a delightful rush of guitar pop laced with a couple of dark acoustic pieces, all buoyed by Johnston's wide-eyed voice.
But what Johnston does best is throw off great one-line statements right in the middle of seemingly ordinary pop lyrics. For example, on "That's All Right with Me," a song that is ostensibly about a guy asking a girl to wait for him while he closes up the store for the night, Johnston slips in the line "Love and neon light should never be alone." Similarly, "She's a Radio for Heartache" redefines every rock radio cliché that has gone before. And by rearranging the expected order of things, Johnston demonstrates he is one of the better pop songwriters of the day.
Longtime fans might know that Johnston is currently performing with a cover band called the Know-It-All Boyfriends, or KIAB. The upcoming Houston appearance gives us a rare opportunity to see this immensely talented guy in an intimate setting.
