Damon Johnson & The Get Ready: Battle Lessons (2021)

Damon Johnson is one talented cat and around these halls known as Arena Rock Thunder Bay, Johnson is respected for the fact that his self titled “Brother Cane” release from 1993 is one of those full album ‘Gems’.

“Brother Cane” came out when Cobain and his tattered up Cardigan were ruling the charts that year.

 Johnson on “Brother Cane” did what he does best and that’s fusing his own style of writing hard blues rock and drove home that point in spades on that release.

Now here we are in 2021 and Damon is back in a power trio format (known as the Get Ready) kicking down the doors on this 9 song 33 minute of an ass kicker release. 

1. Battle Lessons
2. Can’t Clap Any Louder
3. Talk Yourself Into Everything
4. Shadow Country
5. Let The Healing Begin
6. Brace For Impact
7. Lightning Bolt
8. Love Is All You Left Behind
9. Casual Beast

Adding to the fun Damon brought aboard for this project producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush) so this is a big deal release that what I have been reading and watching Johnson has done this whole release himself in house. In house meaning literally recording “Battle Lessons” and shipping out all the copies himself from the house he lives in!

A one man do it yourself operation with he help of his family as well I might add.

The tunes that make up “Battle Lessons” are rock. No following trends just these fella’s getting down to  doing there own thing.

 Speaking of fella’s, Johnson has added two serious side kicks with him on here that being drummer Jarred Pope(Tom Keifer) and bassist Robbie Harrington(Steve Vai.) who are serious players in their own right and back the Bossman with some tight serious chops of there own.

All of these tracks stand up on their own. They rock. Period. “Love Is All You Left Behind” albeit being an acoustic ballad actually fits the vibe here which surprised me as  the other eight songs on here rock. It’s neat to hear Damon’s sound stripped down to the core.

But I tell ya there are two mindblower tracks that are beyond epic and thats “Shadow Country” and “Let The Healing Begin” which has the power trio flexing some serious chops amongst the time changes and power chords. Freaking classic comes to mind. 

Cheers to “Johnson and the Get Ready” who will definitely make you Get Up and take some notice on “Battle Lessons”

dEke’s Stream-A-Rater-Rating: 9/10