Freedy Johnston: “Back On The Road To You” (2022) CD Review

It is certainly a cause for joy when Freedy Johnston releases a new album. And it’s been quite a while since the last one, Neon Repairman, which came out before the country went sideways. Seems like ages ago, doesn’t it? His new one, Back On The Road To You, not only features some great original material, with Freedy’s own style of delivery, but it also includes some fantastic guest musicians on certain tracks, including Aimee Mann and Susanna Hoffs. The group backing him is made up of Dusty Wakeman on bass, David Raven on drums and percussion, Doug Pettibone on lead guitar and steel guitar, and Sasha Smith on keyboards.

Back On The Road To You opens with its title track, a song that is so delightful that even though I was in a foul, stressed out state when I popped the disc in, within like twenty seconds I was smiling and feeling good. This is just what I needed. I love this song’s sense of humor. “You’re the one I want/You’re the one I need/And I still got a set of your keys.” Speaking of keys, I love that lead by Sasha Smith. “I’m pretty tired, but I feel all right/Because I’m going to see you tonight.” Ah yes, knowing I’m going to see my sweetheart at the end of an exhausting day makes all the difference in the world. That’s followed by “There Goes A Brooklyn Girl,” which was released as a single in early May. This one has a cheerful vibe, and some pop elements. These lines in particular stand out for me: “And she’s off to some office I’d never seen/And I’m tending bar and playing guitar/And getting by somehow in between/You know, living the dream.” That last line is a standard response at work when someone is asked “How are you doing?” It is never meant sincerely. But here? Maybe, maybe. Will the characters of this song make it? Maybe not. But the song is catchy, even including some finger snaps. And there is a sweet aspect to it, which makes us hope for the best for them.

“Madeline’s Eye” also has a sweet pop vibe, and is a surprising sort of love song, about a woman who is not quite real. “With a face from a long lost dream/When she tells me how she feels/Man, she’s almost real/Looking in Madeline’s heart, Madeline’s heart/I see the problem right from the start/She’s been wondering why and wondering when/So I set her to default again.” Wonderful, right? Especially in these days when machines seem to constantly step in to help avoid actual human interactions. Then Aimee Mann joins Freedy Johnston on vocals for “Darlin’,” another of the disc’s highlights. Aimee Mann is one of my favorite singers and songwriters, and it’s great to hear her on this track. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “You know you did everything that you could, darlin’/And none of it ever did any good, darlin’/He’s gone and it’s not your fault/He could not live ‘cause he could not stop/Everything’s gonna be all right in the morning.” This song has country elements, including nice work on steel guitar.

“Tryin’ To Move On” is a song that was recorded and released back in 2019 (that earlier version seems to have been completely removed from the internet, something I didn’t know was possible). Freedy Johnston played it when I saw him in July of that year, along with “20 Radios,” which did not make it onto this album. This is a lively and fun number. Check out these lines, which begin the song: “The first thing is I break my neck/Picking up my last check/And then I total the rental car/Backing it into the hotel bar.” Well, it’s difficult to back up a car with a broken neck, so it’s totally understandable. This is a song for all folks to whom the world keeps saying “Tough luck, loser.” But don’t give up, keep trying to move on. I love this song. It features some good work on guitar. Then Susan Cowsill joins Freedy Johnston on vocals on “The Power Of Love” (not to be confused with the Huey Lewis And The News song of the same name). “But if you’ve been around the universe/You know that everything runs on love/From the deepest diamond mine to the endless stars above/Someday the wind will blow/Someday the sky will fall/Baby, here we go.”

“Somewhere Love” has a mellow, easygoing vibe and features a string arrangement by Stevie Blacke. “But until then, you gotta try/To make it on your own/You’ve gotta find your friends/And you gotta make a home.” Wally Ingram is on percussion. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the brevity of life, and partly for that reason the opening lines of “That’s Life” grab me: “Well, there’s a moment when you’re born/And there’s a moment when you’re not here anymore.” Susanna Hoffs joins Freedy Johnston on vocals for this one. This song has a wonderfully uplifting feel. And check out these lines: “But you’d better not pout and you’d better not cry/When you find out the ticket only works one time.” Yup, that’s right, so far as know. This is it. This is life. And this is a sweet song of advice. It’s followed by “Trick Of The Light,” which has a strong vocal performance, and something of a 1970s vibe, with a string arrangement by Stevie Blacke. “To see you one more time/I’d give up the rest of my days/Just to hold you in my arms one more time/Is that you or just a trick of the light.” The album concludes with “The I Really Miss Ya Blues,” in which Freedy Johnston sings, “You’re always down there in my mind/Where you won’t be hard to find/And there ain’t nothing that I can do/For these I really miss ya blues.” This album, from beginning to end, is really good, and will likely raise your spirits.

CD Track List

1. Back On The Road To You
2. There Goes A Brooklyn Girl
3. Madeline’s Eye
4. Darlin’
5. Tryin’ To Move On
6. The Power Of Love
7. Somewhere Love
8. That’s Life
9. Trick Of The Light
10. The I Really Miss Ya Blues

Back On The Road To You is scheduled to be released on September 9, 2022 through Forty Below Records.