Turn Around CD

Toughened by hard times, Jonny knows that finding meaning in the middle of turmoil isn't easy---unless God points the way. In this soul-stirring fusion of gospel, jazz, blues, and rock, Jonny sings straight from the heart about beauty, pain, and the truth of Christ. Includes "Bump in the Road," "Only a Man," and the title track.

GOSPEL-SOAKED BLUES

Turn Around, the latest album from one-time blues wunderkind Jonny Lang, is a funk/soul/gospel/blues testimony to Lang’s musical and spiritual evolution. Lang and his co-writers have crafted 13 songs of personal testimony and exhortation that are firmly rooted in gospel and blues tradition. The lyrics are straightforward accounts of life and faith steeped in a vocabulary of real life and unvarnished experience.

As a teen blues guitar prodigy, Lang was no doubt capable of and encouraged to cut loose as often and as much as possible. And, while his prodigious skills attracted great attention, the scope of Lang’s playing on Turn Around bears witness to the power of restraint. That’s not to say Lang doesn’t let it rip, as songs like the title track, “Don’t Stop (For Anything)” and “It’s Not Over,” among others, prove with definitive results. Elsewhere, Lang provides soulful and intimate framing for the songs that allow the arrangements to move and breathe amid the sum of their influences.

Lang’s broadening as a guitarist, and, perhaps, more crucial to this record, is his emergence as a convincing and multi-faceted singer. He covers an enormous amount of territory on this record; his voice bends, stretches, whispers, growls and soars with a conviction that leaps out of the speakers. Stripped down ballads “Only a Man,” “Last Goodbye” and “That Great Day” lay bare the hushed emotion of Lang’s voice with a vulnerability that would have been hard to imagine a decade ago hearing the bombastic hit “Lie to Me.”

The album’s only true misstep is the generic “On My Feet Again,” which lacks the soul and passion of its peer tracks. And “My Love Remains,” penned by Lang with Steven Curtis Chapman, is pleasant but sonically and compositionally out of place on this body of work.

At the end of the day, Lang has delivered on his promise with shining results. Turn Around is the kind of gospel-soaked record that will find its way to audiences reticent to sample conventional Christian music as well as inspire others to communicate with this depth of skill.

DAVE PALMER – CCMMagazine.com

Average Rating:

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Reviewed by A Fan (US), July 20, 2009

I found this CD through christianitytoday.com and I'm so glad I did. Jonny is just so talented. His talent comes straight from God above and I pray that he will continue to make music for Him. Anyways, buy the CD. You won't regret it. It is 100% ear candy.

Reviewed by D.B (CANADA), July 17, 2009

This album is amazing. Jonny Lang is amazing -vocals and guitar. Every gospel song on this album is a testimony and has enough fire to get your hands clapping and your feet stomping. Buy it! You won't regret it! I bet you it wil not leave your cd player for a long time!

Reviewed by Eric Smith (Rochester, NY), September 17, 2008

Before I got saved I listened to Jonny Lang; he's always been one of my favorite blues artists. He was one of the few secular artists I still listened to; when I read of his conversion to Jesus Christ in the liner notes of his previous CD, I couldn't wait until he made one glorifying the Lord. I've had this CD for quite a while, but I hope this very late review encourages someone to buy this CD. "Bump in the Road," "Thankful," "Only a Man," and many other songs on this CD will bless your walk. I hope Jonny comes back with another Gospelblues effort.

Reviewed by Angel Dean (Kaufman, TX), August 27, 2008

I loved this CD. I just found out about Jonny Lang through a freind. My only regret is that I am just now finding out about Jonny Lang, this CD has been out 2 years. I loved the combinations of the music and the words that flowed out will touch your life and you will listen to it over and over. Buy it!

Reviewed by Charles Evancho (Crestwood, KY), April 15, 2008

The message is there but I guess I was expecting to hear a lot more of his guitar. Good message, good music, but I don't think you need to subdue your God given talent to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I will continue to check out and most likely buy his future efforts.

Reviewed by Annie G. (Montreal, Canada), October 04, 2007

This CD is a perfect tool to Evangelize. The music is great, the voice is awesome and the message is powerful ! As a teacher working with teenagers in a public high school, I use this CD to help my teens to reconnect with life, joy, happiness and to discover Jesus through Jonny's testimony. The lyrics are coming from Jonny's heart and that might be the reason why kids and adults are so blessed and feel a special anointing each time they listen to this TURN AROUND. Thank you Jonny ! Merci pour ce fantastique CD!

Reviewed by Terry Allen (Apache Junction, AZ), January 19, 2007

This is a fantastic album! When I heard that Jonny Lang had put out a Christian recording, it electrified me. He is one of the best things to happen to music in the last 10-15 years, period, and this recording just helps confirm that. It is a combination of southern rock, blues, and some of the most soul-searching lyrics that you'll ever hear. Mr. Lang is mature beyond his years and to know that he will be a part of that great band over the Jordan just seems so right. Keep 'em coming Jonny!!

Reviewed by Stephanie Bynum (Oak Harbor, WA), October 02, 2006

This is so GREAT!!!! I loved listening to Johnny Lang BUT now that I love Jesus I love the Christian Music and I haven't heard Jonny in a long time??? This is so great that he is doing Christian music...And I am so grateful that Jonny is now my brother who loves the Lord! Thank you Lord! God Bless Jonny keep up the good work...

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