By JOHN NOYD
Published: March 1, 1999

Move over Leo Kottke and step aside Adrian Legg - the new kid in town is a twelve-string wonder by the name of Richard Leo Johnson. His new disc, Fingertip Ship, snaps, crackles and popswith a live to tape performance that shimmers with full-bodied bravado and attacks with needle like precision. It almost fatigues the ears to hear Richard's tireless assault on the senses, yet the flashy blur offingerplay reveals a sensitive undercurrent of melody and substance. Every arc has its graceful cascade and for every splendid twitch there is a luminous pulse, guiding an erratic heartbeat to its inevitable end. A self-taught instrumentalist, Richard's range of trickery includes an amazing ability to strum and pick the guitar while pounding out the occasional beat. The effect is one of a guitar combating itself. This struggle between strings, fingers and sound makes Fingertip Ship a voyage both tumultuous and tantalizing.