Tones (album)
Tones is the second studio album by guitarist Eric Johnson, released in 1986 through Reprise Records; a remastered edition was reissued on February 23, 2010 through Wounded Bird Records. Both "Zap" and "Emerald Eyes" are re-recordings from Johnson's then-unreleased 1978 debut album Seven Worlds, which eventually saw an official release in 1998. The instrumental "Zap", released as a B-side to the single "Off My Mind", was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1987 Grammy Awards.[3]
| Tones | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1986[1] | |||
| Recorded | August 28 – November 17, 1985 | |||
| Studio | Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | Instrumental rock, rock | |||
| Length | 45:31[2] | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producer | David Tickle | |||
| Eric Johnson chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Tones | ||||
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Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Daniel Gioffre at AllMusic gave Tones four stars out of five, calling it "an exceptionally strong debut" and "a beautiful and important album by one of the greatest electric guitarists ever to pick up the instrument." He also noted "Trail of Tears" and "Bristol Shore" as highlights.[1]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Eric Johnson, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Soulful Terrain" | 4:16 |
| 2. | "Friends" | 5:34 |
| 3. | "Emerald Eyes" (Johnson, Jay Aaron) | 3:23 |
| 4. | "Off My Mind" | 4:01 |
| 5. | "Desert Song" | 4:15 |
| 6. | "Trail of Tears" (Johnson, Carla Olson, Stephen Barber) | 6:01 |
| 7. | "Bristol Shore" | 6:41 |
| 8. | "Zap" | 4:43 |
| 9. | "Victory" (Johnson, Roscoe Beck, Tommy Taylor) | 6:37 |
| Total length: | 45:31 | |
Personnel
- Eric Johnson – guitar, lead vocals, keyboard
- Stephen Barber – Fairlight CMI, piano
- David Tickle – Fairlight CMI, programming, percussion, producer, engineer
- Roscoe Beck – bass guitar
- Tommy Taylor – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Jerry Marotta – percussion, backing vocals
- Jennifer Warnes – backing vocals
Awards
| Title | Event | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Zap" | 1987 Grammys | Best Rock Instrumental Performance | Nominated[3] |
References
- Gioffre, Daniel. "Tones - Eric Johnson". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
- Tones (CD release "Reprise 9 25375-2").
- "29th Grammy Awards - 1987". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
