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Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist/ Johnny Lima is back after a 3 year absence, which he spent producing other bands such as Miss Crazy, Dirty Penny, and most notably the newly released debut from Freakshow. Appropriately titled “Livin’ Out Loud” is the best album Lima has released in the 12 years he’s been a solo artist. Well known throughout Europe, the fact that the U.S. hasn’t caught on to this California native’s music is mind boggling. With a vocal style similar to Tuff’s Stevie Rachelle, Lima takes touches of glam and mixes it with early Bon Jovi and Def Leppard influences to produce catchy, well written songs filled with melody, hooks, gang vocals galore, excellent solos, and enough rhythm a dead man would be tapping his foot along.

“Livin’ Out Loud” starts off with “All I Wanna Do” which is a catchy foot tapping rocker with a excellent solo and chorus. “Wildflower” follows up with a great thumping bass line followed by a great guitar intro, before the vocals kick in. This is the type of songs you would find playing in a hundred strip clubs back in the day. It has catchy sing-a-long lyrics with another great solo. Heavy guitars and keyboards dominate the opening of  ”Hate To Love You” which I think is a great touch the keyboards also kick back in at the bridge and chorus. Another catchy sing along that is a little heavier than a lot of the other songs included here. If you can’t hear the Def Leppard influence on “I’m On Fire” you definitely need to get your ears checked out this song could have came straight out of the Hysteria/Adrenalize era. Lima slows things just a tad with “Somebody To Love” but this mid tempo track does not lose any of the power or catchiness that has preceded it. “Caught In The Middle” is a tale of a man getting caught with a married woman by her husband, it boasts more great guitar playing and another excellent chorus. “Gimme Some Rock So I Can Roll” pays tribute to 80’s hard rock while trashing the state of the music industry and commercial radio today. On the title track “Livin’ Out Loud”  Lima gives another nod to Def Leppard while singing about living life to the fullest because we only get one chance.

With 12 tracks abouts girls, rock ‘n roll, bad relationships, more girls and life in general,13 if you get the import version, “Livin’ Out Loud” is a fun, catchy, well written album that is absolutely filler free and a great summer time album. Any fan of 80’s style hard rock should definitely have Johnny Lima in their collection, not only “Livin’ Out Loud” but the rest of his catalog as well. You will not be disappointed in the least bit. You can check out all things  Johnny Lima at www.johnnylima.com or www.myspace.com/johnnylima

Livin’ Out Loud is for sale at CD Baby.com.

Rating: Out of 10

Track Listing:

Photo by Dave Lepori

1. All I Wanna Do
2. Wildflower
3. Hate To Love You
4. I’m On fire
5. Somebody To Love
6. Caught In The Middle
7. Gimme Some Rock, So I Can Roll
8. Livin’ Out Loud
9. Still Waiting For You
10. Long Way Down
11. Hard To Say Goodbye
12. ‘Til Love Is Gone

Musicians on Livin’ Out Loud:

Johnny Lima – Lead & Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Craig Takeshita – Lead Guitar
Bernie F. Diaz – Drums
Danny Danzi – Lead Guitar (2nd guitar solo on “Wildflower” and guitar solo on “Caught In The Middle”)
Christian Wolff – Lead Guitar on “I’m On Fire”, “Somebody To Love”, “Still Waiting For You”, and “Hard To Say Goodbye”
Brandon Baumann – additional Backing Vocals on “All I Wanna Do”, “Wildflower” and “Gimme Some Rock, So I Can
Roll”