I didn't buy this CD for a long time. I didn't really care for the radio hit SRV so it steered me away from it. Don't get me wrong SRV was a good song, I just thought it to be too commercial. Well I am happy to say that SRV is the worst song on this CD. I now own all of EJ's stuff even the hard to get stuff. Tones was always my favorite until now. Ah Via is good and many people say it's his best. Nope this one is it. Tones is second.

The frustration an EJ fan has is in waiting and waiting for the self described perfectionist to come out with more wonderful music. This one was worth the wait and I just wish I would have started listening to it long before I did. This CD is about as close to perfection as I have seen in years. Maybe a little over produced but when you listen to it from start to finish (as all of EJ's CD's should be listened too) it flows like a river and takes you one a wonderful journey. I wonder how many years EJ spent just figuring out which song goes where. Absolutely the closet thing to perfection.

As it is with a lot of guitar players who have radio hits, the hits are not what it is all about. Manhattan and SRV seem to be just space fillers to an awesome complement of musical genius. As good as they are, and yes they are good songs, the rest of this CD is killer. Grab a glass of wine, turn on the 5.1 and enjoy the trip that EJ is taking you on. It was worth the wait and worth the time. EJ is one of the very very few people in the music biz I would love to sit down and BS with for hours and hours. After listening to this CD you will feel like EJ is an old friend.

Buy it, buy it now and buy a copy for all of your friends. Music like this should be shared and listened to often.

First of all, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, so for those who say Eric can't sing, I will give you my opinion that he has his own unique style and voice and I think he has a fine voice. He is a tenor and hits some pretty high with very good melody. When I first bought "Musicom" back in the '90's I was disappointed that Eric had vocals on what I thought was supposed to be an instrumental album. Now, I can't imagine listening to an Eric Johnson album without his vocals. I really, really like his voice.

Second, for those who want to compare this to his other albums, mainly "Ah Via Musicom", I reply, this is a different album and has a different focus. I think by Eric's own admission, he felt that this album was too over-produced. That may be, but I absolutely love it. It has a differnt feel than his other albums which is exactly what I want from an artist. Too many artists put out stuff that sounds alike from album to album. Not so with Eric. Some say this album is too mellow...that's their opinion. Some say Eric sings too much...that's their opinion.

Third, to the person who thinks the lyrics are terrible, I think they are beautiful and touching. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I think there is great depth, even spirituality in this album.

It's hard for me to pick a favorite off this album, but "When the Sun Meets the Sky" and "Pavilion" are two of my favs. "Sun" reminds me a bit of "Bristol Shore" off of "Tones." The harmonics at the end are great. "Song for Lynette" is absolutely gorgeous

This is my personal favorite from Eric, just a notch above "Ah Via Musicom." I'm not saying "Venus Isle" is a better album than "Musicom." It is just different...way different, and that's exactly the way I like it. I can't think of too many rock albums that make me cry and there are more than a few songs on this album that do just that. Eric is one of the most melodious rockers out there. His songs build to a crescendo and crash with emotion at the end.

This album may not be the critics' favorite, but it is mine. Thanks for the music, Eric!

I am kind of 50/50 on this album. After review, I decided to only get half of the songs, which were promising, but overall, as an album, his compositions are too soft for my taste. Eric is somewhat of an enigma to me. I have seen him several times on stage and once as an opening act to Joe Satriani, and by comparison, Eric sadly paled. Joe Satriani has found his voice: he embraces rock, instrumental, metal, and inspiration in joyful and uplifting melodies and rhythm. On stage Joe absolutely rocks. In contrast, Eric is timid and almost hesitant. He gives me the impression that he is still searching for his musical voice. He does not have enough punch with few exceptions like the song Camel's Night Out that has the classic Eric's guitar tone. His singing however only adds to the overall lack of identity of the album. If he had sticked to instrumental only, he would have achieved a more focused composition. I think Eric has some good musical ideas, often inspiring (especially the title songs Venus Isle with its indian accents), and his guitar playing is notoriously impeccable, but as soon as he sings it destroys the song (I have given it my best, but I just don't care to listen to him singing). It reminds me of the flowery mellow pop sound of Alan Parsons Project. I continue to check what he is doing because I like the ethereal distortion tone of his guitar, but that's where it ends. Ah Via Musicum remains a better album, although, as with Venus Isle, I can only listen to about half of the tracks on that album.

I have listened to this CD since it first was released, and I must say....One of the BEST. I can still listen to this over and over, and it never gets old. One of the best music journeys ever. If you like EJ, at any level, this is one of the best of his work, no doubt. Buy it, listen to it at length (several times), and enjoy...it is top notch.

Having been familiar with Johnson, Satriani, and the guys before getting this album, I knew Johnson could shred with melody. My brother gave this album rave reviews as well. So I knew I had to pick it up because there had to be something that stuck out. It was the vocals!

Johnson's vocals added another dimension to his role as a musician. I've had this album for some time now, and I'm still impressed at his versatility and ability to branch out. Get this album!

First things first,I enjoy Eric's guitar playing,I do not like his singing,I do skip over his songs and play just the instrumentals.I don't think he can sing and should play the guitar only!I do enjoy listening Venus Isle almost as much as Ah,Via Musicom!

Mr. Johnson is one of the great guitar technicians today with the best ("100 lb violin") tone combining blues, jazz, rock, and an ocassional ballad.

I am sorry to disagree with many of the well thought-out positive reviews but this thing was in the oven way too long and simply overproduced.

Everything else he has recorded is 5 stars+. If you get a chance to see him play live, get there whatever you do!

This is a great Eric Johnson album. I enjoy every track on it and highly recommend it. I personally prefer it when he isn't doing vocals, but I also like the tracks where he does sing. "Manhattan" and "SRV" were reason enough for me to buy this album, and I was happy to find some more great music by this man. 5 stars. Give it a try.

I picked this up in a remainder bin (!) - to me, always the ultimate insult to an artist - and it has become my favourite Eric Johnson cd. It seems to be a continuing tale, spun musically throughout the disc, and other than my perennial quibble with Eric (I can't understand you!), vocally and instrumentally it is a virtual gem. I am presently labouring under the delusion that, someday, I will be able to play a recognizable cover of "Manhattan" (I've said in the past that I'm not a fan of covers, but this is only for my own consumption), a smooth, jazzy piece halfway into the cd. Eric exercises his pipes on three memorable, melodic songs; "Battles We Have Won", "All About You", and "Lonely In The Night", the last in which he exhibits nice range. In "Song For Lynette", he breaks away from his lightning-fast guitar and spins a soft-as-a-flowing-creek piano turn, a nice surprise. "S.R.V.", "Camel's Night Out", and "Venus Isle" - "Venus Reprise" take care of the fast licks. All in all, really my best choice of Eric Johnson's work.

This was a bought as a gift to someone else so I really can't say much about it.