Eric Johnson is notorious for his perfectionism, but the six-year wait between his breakthrough "Ah! Via Musicom" and its follow-up "Venus Isle" seems a little extravagant, especially considering the resulting album. In six years, it could be assumed that an artist would undergo a number of different phases, exploring several different musical genres and textures. Johnson didn't spend his six years exploring -- he spent them refining. "Venus Isle" reveals no new insights about the guitarist, it only offers a new spin on the territory "Ah! Via Musicom" covered. In one respect, this isn't a bad thing. Johnson is a consummate guitarist, pulling out tones and licks from his instrument that no other musician can quite match. It is a joy to hear him play, but "Venus Isle" nevertheless seems like a lost opportunity because he never departs from his standard bag of tricks. There are the occasional jazzy grooves, a handful of blues, several fusion numbers, and a few stabs at prog rock -- all of the things that distinguished the album's predecessor.
