Earlier this week news of Johnta Austin's new publishing deal caused us to do a little happy dance on his behalf. But we quickly stopped doing the Cabbage Patch when we realized that his at-one-time highly-anticipated debut album Ocean Drive has been gathering dust bunnies somewhere. Since the single "Turn It Up" came out in 2006, an album's worth of material of Johnta's has leaked in two years, but we still haven't gotten an album! What's really good?
I clearly remember back in August '06 going to not one but two showcases for Johnta Austin where he sang a few songs from his album and built up anticipation for the project that was then scheduled to be released in December of that year. Here it is another August with another December quickly approaching, and he is nowhere to be found in my CD collection. Yes, he's been busy crafting hit songs for others, but with the exception of "Turn It Up" he has yet to find that sweet spot with the tracks he keeps for himself. However, he may have a reversal of fortune with two recent songs that have recently turned up on the net.
"I Need A Girl" and "Bad Chick" find Johnta trying to get a woman then later singing to her, respectively. Out of all of the music I've heard from him, these songs actually have potential to do some things on the charts. "I Need A Girl" is definitely single material. Whether either of these songs will generate the buzz that Johnta needs to resurrect his debut album remains to be seen, but it would be ashame for us to never hear it.
Johnta Austin: "I Need A Girl"
Johnta Austin: "Bad Chick"
