Fight For My Soul

Too young his first time around to have a musical vision as mature as his guitar chops, former blues-rock prodigy Jonny Lang returns with his first album in seven years—and it’s a recasting of the young man’s musical world. Guitar solos are no longer the center of a performance, and the modern R&B and soul tracks here bring out his rhythmic side. Co-producer and co-songwriter Tommy Sims ensures that the songs are as important as musical virtuosity. “Breaking’ In” and “We Are the Same” nail down a Lenny Kraits–Sly Stone sound that’s grand and festive. “What You’re Looking For” is the sound of a young man personally searching, despite being able to perform musically at a Stevie Wonder level. It’s this disconnect that gives the album an unusual tension. Rarely has a young artist been so musically accomplished and presented so sleekly that his genuine young man–existential cares seem impossible in light of his studio sophistication. But there’s a fragile soul lurking on each track.