It’s not like we haven’t seen our share of soulful, blues-influenced rockers in recent years – guys like Marc Broussard and Jonny Lang come to mind immediately. Well, you can add 20-year-old Texan Johnny Cooper to that list. Cooper is back with his sophomore effort, Follow, which follows his 2007 debut Ignition. The kid can sing, he can play, and he can write catchy tunes – all with the attitude that usually comes with years of seasoning. Call him an old soul, but whatever it is, it’s still unique to have this much talent at this tender of an age. Follow is oddly classified as a country release, but if it is, it’s more of the old-school Americana country and not the pop/schlock that rules country radio. Cooper is more a rocker that happens to be from Texas, and he’s already built up a nice following in his home state with a compelling vocal ability and guitar skills that defy chronology. Some of the tracks do wear thin quickly, but most of them will have you hitting repeat – especially the southern-fried opener, “Don’t Feel Like That Anymore,” the ‘60s pop-inspired “Blue,” and the positively funked up “Yes My Love.” Keep an eye and an ear on this kid – if he is this talented at 20, who knows what more living and learning will do for him, and for all of us who hear and see Cooper. (Tenacity Records 2009)
