Determined, Johnny Napp is aiming high. Firmly fixed, his eye is keenly on
the target. However, for this 22-year-old from Williamsburg, Virginia, we're
talking country music high, not the hoops he chases as a basketballer while
studying accounting at James Madison University. Napp has just released his
debut. Cowboy Up And Party Down, produced by Doc Holiday, is out on Mega International
Records. Stoked with 16 tracks, for the singer who stands 6'3" and strummed
his first guitar at 10, the album is a childhood ambition delivered.
The album is out on the shelves, thanks to the keen ear and eye of his producer. With 17 Grammy nominations to his musical history, Holiday liked what he saw and heard after a chance meeting with the singer at a recording studio. Impressed enough to pull the strings of studio time in Nashville, Holiday also recruited some bankable songwriters, and, finally, some noted session players to smooth out the six-month schedule. The rest of the story plays out in the varied tracks.
"His voice is great," Holiday recently told a local paper. "He
sounds a lot like Tim McGraw. But it's a little softer edge to it that reminds
you of Ricky Nelson. Plus, he's a great -looking kid, and it's a cosmetic business
whether you like it or not."
So, he's good-looking, and the claim is he sings like McGraw, time to check
out the album. Pleasing news: Beyond the rush of needed hype and Holiday's approval,
Johnny Napp delivers with a trail of hooky rockers, cryin' towel weepers, and
some smooth ballads, all carried with individual style and purpose. Running
at just a tad under an hour, the album is value for money. Often, independent
artists will mask their flaws by overcompensating with fillers, padded tracks
and long indulgent guitar solos; thankfully, Napp doesn't need to stuff those
into the mix. If there is a failing, it's that there's no lyric liner or details
of songwriters.
Back to the music. The title track kicks. Made for disturbing the neighbors, the pounded piece rocks and vibrates with joyous fiddles, a drummer on a mission, and a host of back-up harmony lovelies. It's out of the chute with a radio-friendly and show-stopping pull, and it could be the needed primer to make listeners into fans.
"How Hot Was It" is a sultry shuffle, while the politically
sensitive, "Fight Like A Girl," might claim some awkward looks, the
reworked baby boomer memory and Tom Jones classic, "She's A Lady,"
is a breezy, softly stroked nightclub tune. It is a curious choice and out of
place, considering it's more cabaret than country in the version here, but as
a showcase for versatility, it works. Just. The rest of the album swings between
the accepted album fare of restraint and rock. "How Cool Is That"
is an interesting closer, exploring the truth of what you chase, sometimes you
don't get. Thankfully. Forget the McGraw and Nelson claims. Johnny Napp is in
the early days of his career. He is aiming high, sure, and he is on target.
But for now, that's enough. The rest should follow for the singer who avoids
the debut hype by simply saying the album is "worth a listen". We
agree.
http://www.countryreview.com/artists-i/johnnynapp/