CD Review: Livin' Out Loud, by Johnny Lima
Artist Background and Review of the Latest Release
May 28, 2009
Californian musician and producer Johnny Lima's self-titled debut solo album was released in 1996. It was followed by Shine On (1999), Made in California (2003), Version 1.2 (2005), and now Livin' Out Loud. Lima's brand of melodic rock has seen him gradually develop a strong underground following, especially among fans of 80s "hair bands".
In fact, in 2002, Lima's song "Another Lonely Day" was "leaked" amid claims it was a demo from Bon Jovi's Bounce album. Another 11 of Lima's songs were posted on YouTube in 2008, with the poster claiming they were leaks from a new Bon Jovi album.
Lima has spent the last few years producing albums for bands including modern day "hair band" Dirty Penny and Freakshow (which includes Frankie Banali from Quiet Riot and Jeff La Bar from Cinderella).
The New Album: Livin' Out Loud
Livin' Out Loud was officially released on May 4, 2009, although it was available a week earlier on Lima's website. It showcases his strong melodic hooks, powerful vocals and glam metal guitar solos.
The album features the archetypal rock themes: girls, sex, rock 'n' roll, and living life.
Opening track "All I Wanna Do" is a risque track with a groove not unlike Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like a Lady". It is followed by the energetic "Wildflower", a song about a fun-loving girl: "She likes to fly with angels just to see how high she gets / She gambles with the devil and he hasn't beat her yet".
"Hate to Love You", a song that reads like a big ballad but sounds like a rocker, is the first serious track on the album, with lyrics like "Please take this broken heart until the beating stops". It is juxtaposed with "I'm on Fire", another risque number which uses "rock 'n' roll" as a euphemism for sex.
Most of the songs from Livin' Out Loud can roughly be split into two categories. The more serious, heartfelt songs such as "Hate to Love You", "Still Waiting For You", and "Hard to Say Goodbye" tend to be love ballads. They are interwoven with the more uptempo, humorous, tongue-in-cheek songs like "All I Wanna Do", "I'm On Fire", and "Caught in the Middle".
The title track "Livin' out Loud" would not sound out of place as a post-2000 Bon Jovi single in the vein of "It's My Life" or "Have a Nice Day". Carried by a strong beat and riff, the song's slightly darker verses ("You're born, you live, you die / A simple fact of life") give way to the optimistic chorus: "I'm gonna tear it up, I'm gonna make it count / Until they shut me up, I'm livin' out loud".
Conclusion
The lyrics may not be terribly deep or profound but Lima's main goal is to revive the party atmosphere and fun, hedonistic rock style of the 80s, and he does well. The songs are catchy and seamlessly combine pop hooks with a heavier guitar and keyboard sound.
Fans of Lima's earlier work will enjoy Livin' Out Loud, which draws on the old school styles from bands like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, KISS, and Poison. Meanwhile, some of Lima's influences have since moved onto different styles and genres, including pop and country, to the dismay of some of their fans. These fans will appreciate the efforts of Lima to "give them some rock so they can roll".
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