Live and Beyond

AMG Review of Live and Beyond

Zac Johnson
All Music Guide

The name may be a little misleading for fans expecting live versions of Eric Johnson's guitar hits, when in fact Live and Beyond is a collection of new songs recorded live on a three-date set in Austin with his band Alien Love Child. The album shifts from the spacy psychedelia of "Shape I'm In," through the jazz chords of "Rain," and into elaborate blues rock in songs like "The Boogie King," "World of Trouble," and "Last House on the Block." Accompanying the guitarist on these tracks is drummer Bill Marsh and longtime friend Chris Maresh on bass, while Storyville vocalist Malford Milligan adds his voice to "Once a Part of Me" and "Don't Cha Know." Live and Beyond showcases Johnson's ability to explode from one style to another, often within the same song, and still hold together a tight blues trio without resorting to the overplaying that many of his contemporaries can't seem to get out of their systems.