NEW ALBUM "BARNBURNERS!" OUT NOW!
Handsome Jack, a roots rock trio from Lockport, NY, channels the spirit of classic American music into a sound that’s as timeless as it is electrifying. Drawing from the deep wells of rock n’ roll, R&B, blues, and old-school boogie, the band crafts songs that feel both refreshingly raw and instantly familiar—music that could just as easily be echoing from a backwoods juke joint as reverberating through a packed club. Their live shows are sweat-soaked affairs, fueled by Jamison Passuite’s soulful vocals and scorching guitar work, and powered by the tight rhythm section of Joey Verdonselli and Bennie Hayes.
Handsome Jack has earned a devoted following not just among fans but also among their musical peers. Legends of the road and studio alike—Chris Robinson as well as the late Neal Casal of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and The Black Crowes, Zachary Gabbard of the Buffalo Killers and The Black Keys, and Ben McLeod of All Them Witches—have all praised the band’s ability to tap into the roots of rock n’ roll with passion and artistry.
- February 20 @ Lux Lounge — Rochester, NY
- March 21 @ Westside Bowl — Youngstown, OH
- April 11 @ Musica — Akron, OH
[9/10] Handsome Jack is fully at its peak here, the album delivers exactly what the title promises: hit after hit. The blending of roots, folk, swamp blues, and ‘70s-style classic rock blend excellently here. Barnburners! is a damn good way for blues rockers to kick off 2026. – Lee Clark / BLUES ROCK REVIEW
The authenticity and scorching performance on ‘Barnburners!’ is undeniable. Handsome Jack cranks out a tough, garage-honed bluster of searing guitar and credible vocals that make even the disc’s most boilerplate song structures feel genuine and convincing. – Hal Horowitz / ROCK & BLUES MUSE
Had this record dropped 60 years ago it for sure would have made it into the hands of the Keith Richard’s and Jeff Beck’s of the day; its tomorrow-leaning soundtrack of Classic Rock arrives in the form of a good time dance record that’s both Old-School Blues and futuristic Roots Rock. It’s gloriously raw and rough around the edges, what one wants when seeking Blues-influenced Rock music delivered with a bit of Boogie. – Bryant Liggett / The ALTERNATE ROOT
Driven by vicious slide guitar and Jamison Passuite's made-for-rock-and-roll vocals, the song "Poly Molly" captures the band's talent for stirring up deeply soulful and hard-hitting blues. – GLIDE MAGAZINE
Part strut, part shimmy, all heart, “Let’s Go Downtown” is old-school boogie at its most unruly and impossible to resist. Jamison Passuite’s soulful vocals and guitar work set the pace, backed by Joey Verdonselli and Bennie Hayes keeping the groove tight. The trio turns up the volume on Barnburners!, their energy as at ease in a smoky juke joint as it is filling a lively, crowded club. – AMERICAN BLUES SCENE
Choogling away like One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer, the blues standard made famous by John Lee Hooker, but with added swampy flavours and beard energy, Handsome Jack's new single will make you feel like you're somewhere densely wooded and off-grid in Mississippi.– Polly Glass / CLASSIC ROCK
Hailing from Lockport, New York, the trio’s latest yield of slow-burning, swampy blues and warm, soulful boogie rock points to a “deep in the heart of Dixie” upbringing, but Handsome Jack is an East Coast band through and through. Their confident swagger is a dead giveaway. – Peter Lindblad / ELMORE MAGAZINE
It sounds great and pulses with energy and fire. Not only is it a great call back to those who were there the first time around or who carry the fire even if they weren’t but it’s also a proper rock’n’roll record that blows most of the competition out of the water. — Jeremy Searle / AMERICANA UK
Good God. Hit Me. Handsome Jack’s Get Humble is in the ballpark of Black Crowes, but rougher around the edges. Jamison Passuite sings like a Wilson Pickett for the 21st Century. – AMERICANA MUSIC SHOW
Handsome Jack is a band that has been known throughout its career as a groovy rock band that delves into both Americana and guitar-heavy classic rock sounds. If you pore through the band’s catalog, you will encounter some songs reminiscent of The James Gang while other songs may bring John Hiatt to mind. – GLIDE
While upholding the classic sounds of rockers enjoying the blues, there’s nothing overtly retro about the band, other than the good old feelings they conjure up. They’re more like onetime label mates the Black Keys inciting something unpretentious and solid. – The VINYL DISTRICT
Ragged, swampy guitars mix with solo Chris Robinson vibes, sunny backing harmonies and enough rough edges to keep Let Me Know from slipping into hazy, bonged-out territory. In other words, the sort of good shit we could all use a bit more of. Fresh off the latest album, Get Humble, which is out now. – CLASSIC ROCK
Without the strength of the bullshit-free writing that powers “Hard Luck Karma,” “Roll It” and “Simple Kind of Life,” the group’s musical virtues wouldn’t have anywhere to go. You could’ve put Handsome Jack on a bill with anyone from Creedence Clearwater Revival to the Faces to the Band, and the punters would’ve been happy. Hell, put them on tour with the Black Crowes and maybe they’d get the thumbs-up they deserve. – Michael Toland / The BIG TAKEOVER
Get Humble is jam-packed with soulful vocals and harmonies, greasy guitar riffs, and southern rock vibes. Notable tracks include: the soulful “Got You Where I Want You”; the heartfelt title-track “Get Humble”; the rambling, blues-tinged number “High Class Man”; the hopeful jam “Shoulder to Lean On”; the vintage R&B-tinged “Roll It”; the 70’s rock-inspired “Servin’ Somebody”; and the swampy “Got You Where I Want You.” – RECORD DPT.
There’s more than a hint of Creedence Clearwater Revival in the twangy, bluesy guitar at work here (even a little in Jamison Passuite’s vocals, which make us think more of Muscle Shoals circa 1969 than New York in 2018), and that’s just fine by us. – CLASSIC ROCK / LOUDER HERE
With their tight harmonies and willingness to experiment with tone and beat, Handsome Jack transcend the limitations of the power trio, creating a surprisingly complete album. – NO DEPRESSION HERE
Some sounds are timeless and Handsome Jack knows they can only be absorbed when you’re genuine.– I-94 BAR REVIEW HERE
The retro-minded trio returns with "City Girls", a countrified bit of rock 'n' roll that could have crawled from FM radio in its dawning moments, slithered right out of your speakers and into your record collection. – POPMATTERS
A phenomenal power trio with serious classic bona fides. The album is Everything’s Gonna Be Alright and it is the perfect representation of what this extraordinarily talented band of musicians is capable of. – Marc Michael / CHATTANOOGA PULSE HERE
CITY GIRLS : This laidback cocktail of blues, soul, boogie and Southern rock calls to mind the likes of Little Feat and Creedence Clearwater Revival – without losing sight of their own slightly off-kilter character. Good music for chilled times.– Tracks of the Week
In the world of writing about popular music, comparisons are often helpful tools, but just as often completely useless. Is it helpful to mention that American band Handsome Jack, apparently from Lockport, New York, sound like what you’d get if you put Audience’s Howard Werth, Siren’s Kevin Coyne or even Mungo Jerry’s Ray Dorset in front of Humble Pie circa their 1973 ode “Eat It?” Hell no! But this record is probably more fun than the first Black Crowes record—which from an influence/aesthetics standpoint, it oddly evokes—and were it to bear a Harvest Records imprint and a 1970 copyright date, no one would bat an eye. Which must mean it’s really good. – Dave DiMartino / ROLLING STONE
"Between The Lines" is the most obvious example of the Stax influence : its major key guitar and bass groove is straight out of Memphis. But it's "You And Me"'s three-note guitar solo that best captures the band's ethos : keep it simple, keep it raw, make it groove. – Stephen Lawson / The BLUES
Raw, authentic, unselfconscious, and jarringly real. – BUFFALO BLOG
Combines the soulful southern rhythmic magic by way of the Alabama Shakes and frontman Jamison Passuite’s fervently emotive vocals. – GLIDE Magazine
With dirty guitar, a heady backbeat and some excellent vocals “Echoes” kicks thing off perfectly, sounding great after a few beers and plenty of volume. Sounding like an outtake from Tom Petty's “Mojo” album, “Creepin'” ensures the volume remains high, whilst “Between The Lines” is a good time stomp with a funky soul. As you proceed there are touches of The Stones to be found, sleazy guitars and lazy rhythms creating a smoky atmosphere, the band sounding like they are having fun throughout. For sure, there is nothing new here but when rock and roll sounds this good why change anything. – TERRASCOPES RUMBLE
Take some time with “Naturally”. Turn it up. Sit a while. Open up your mind and your ears. You just might like something after all without being given permissions by the industry. – SHAWN OBNOXIOUS
With scuttling drums, Nico-ish backing vocals and the c*cksure twang of lead man Jamison Passuite, Handsome Jack are so cool it hurts. – Henry Yates / CLASSIC ROCK
The band refines roots rock for today’s generation, boasting a classic, soulful sound. With vocals reminiscent of Eric Burdon and Otis Redding, they sure stack up in the talent category. The album features long bluesy jams, suave singing, and lyrics true to the blues. – BLUES ROCK REVIEW
Much like the LPs Albert King made for Stax Records, the music here is laid-back, groove-laden and soulful. The band’s roots in garage rock are betrayed by the record’s bourbon-soaked rawness, but it’s a blues record at heart, albeit one that owes as much to ’70s funk and late ’60s blues rockers Canned Heat as it does to the electrified Chicago blues of John Lee, Muddy and Wolf. – HARMONIC DISTORTION
They've made "Do What Comes Naturally" into a celebration of laid-back but serious partying, and it'll make a fine soundtrack for your next celebration of the boogie. – Mark Deming / ALL MUSIC
It’s elevated garage rock from a garage in which we’d all be lucky to hang. – The HORN
Heavy, fuzzy, muddy guitar tones sloppily bump up against a wheezy Hammond organ and leave you with the distinct feeling of dudes in jean vests slowly lumbering around the floor while their cougars prowl the perimeter. No pretense, no skinny pants, no Swatches to be seen. This is your dad’s rock and roll. And your dad was cooler than you. – GLORIOUS NOISE