Long lost 1979 power-pop gem

Despite this superb 1979 debut, the Memphis-based Robert Johnson never caught on as a power-pop artist. After sitting in the vaults un-reissued for nearly 30 years, the CD edition is even harder to find in the U.S. than copies of the original vinyl LP; odd, since it’s still available from UK sites at a reasonable price. The reissue comes in a mini-LP cover with a mini-inner sleeve (which itself sports a microscopic reproduction of the lyrics) and adds eight bonus tracks drawn from 1980’s Memphis Demos. Johnson’s southern roots shine through in the album’s soulful bass lines, and the twin guitars bring to mind the tandem of Lloyd Cole and Robert Quine from Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend. As much as Johnson looks like Moon Martin on the cover shot, and despite the Elvis Costello pose, he’s a gutsier singer than the former, a less angry young man than the latter, and a better guitarist than both. At times he sings like Phil Seymour or Joe Walsh, but more urgent, and with hard charging guitar playing. The demo tracks are a great addition, a bit rougher than the album finals and adding songs that didn’t make the cut, including a cover of Roy Orbison’s (by way of the Everly Brothers’) “Claudette” and Elvis Presley’s “Burning Love.” [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]