PENNYBLACKMUSIC review of HANDSOME JACK “Do What Comes Naturally”

Fantastic blues/soul rock on second album from Buffalo, New York-based group, Handsome Jack

Produced by Zachary Gabbard of the Buffalo Killers, “Do What Comes Naturally” is the latest offering from Handsome Jack and features Bob Nave (of the legendary Lemon Pipers) on hammond organ. Packaged in a beautiful double album type card CD case with retro photos by Natalie Solotes, it impeccably meanders through deep dark mid-tempo boogies, smoky upbeat burners, and soulful feel-good rockers with a serious swagger.

The vocals on here remind me of 60’s R&B maestro A.C.Reed during his period recording for Nike Recordings. Couple that with some wonderful Muscle Shoals type Hammond from Nave, and it is a proper foot-tapper from start to finish. Highlights come thick and fast, but include the harmonica-led ‘Creepin’ and the Stax/Volt-influenced ‘Between the Lines’. Taking the simple line of “You and me”, it gets right down to basics and proves that you really don’t have to venture far to find the groove in this package – it is in every track.

Soulful stirrings then from Handsome Jack, which are guaranteed to get your feet tapping. Marvellous!

Read the whole review on the Pennyblackmusic site

BLURT review of The BLOODHOUNDS “Let Loose!”

Their ages belie it, but the members of the Bloodhounds remember good ol’ rock & roll. Or at least that’s the indication on the East L.A. quartet’s debut album Let Loose! The band reaches back to the pre-psychedelic days of 50s R&B and 60s garage rock, sticking in the main to the classic two guitars/bass/drums formula stamped into eternity by the Rolling Stones and the Beatles a half century ago.

It’s a pretty basic setup, but the ‘Hounds make it fresh, sounding like they’re having a blast jumpin’ in the night through “Saint Dee,” “Indian Highway” and a cover of Bo Diddley’s “Crackin’ Up.” The band also goes for a more overtly bluesy vibe on “The Wolf” and “Bottle Cap Blues.” The surprise, however, comes from “Olderbudwiser,” “Hey Lonnie” and “Dusty Bibles & Silver Spoons,” which dig even further back to the U.K.’s brief but memorable skiffle craze – not an influence usually heard, especially not from a band this young. It’s that kind of open-mindedness that make the Bloodhounds more than just a retro revivalist bar band and Let Loose an auspicious debut. – Michael Toland

Blurt review here

HOLLIS BROWN UK tour dates

November 23 @ Bierkeller — Bristol, UK
November 24 @ The Portland Arms — Cambridge, UK
November 25 @ Dingwalls — London, UK
November 26 @ Slade Rooms — Wolverhampton, UK
November 27 @ Fibbers — York, UK
November 28 @ O2 Academy 2 — Sheffield, UK
November 30 @ Belgrave Music Hall — Leeds, UK
December 1 @ The Cluny — Newscastle, UK
December 2 @ King Tut’s — Glasglow, UK
December 3 @ Kazimer — Liverpool, UK
December 4 @ The Ruby Lounge — Manchester, UK

HYPERBOLIUM review of HANDSOME JACK “Do What Comes Naturally”

The album hits a soul stride with “Leave it All Behind” and “Right On, the former sounding as if Arthur Alexander stepped out of the studio just long enough for the band to work up an original, the latter could be Little Feat’s heavier alter ego. Handsome Jack’s music resonates with the atmospheres of rock’s great ballrooms – the Avalon, Fillmore, Winterland, Agora, Grande – and the bands who rocked them. They call their music “boogie soul,” but the boogie gave birth to rock and their souls are plugged into an extension cord that stretches from Buffalo to the Delta.

Read the complete review here

SPACE CITY ROCK review of PAUL COLLINS “Feel The Noise”

The album ends with an unexpected one-two punch; first, there’s a stellar cover of the Four Tops’ classic “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” which holds tight to the heartfelt soul of the original while grinding down the song’s edge to something that’s more jagged and roughened. Collins and company come off like distant cousins to The Animals, and that’s no bad place to be in my book. Then there’s “Walk Away,” sweet and forlorn, with Collins being left but seemingly resigned to the end of the relationship. – Read the whole review on the Space City Rock site

Elmore Magazine review of PAUL COLLINS “Feel The Noise”

Power-pop is one of the most contradictory forms in rock n’ roll. A genre designed to mine from the best parts of early Beatles and Beach Boy harmonies, Pete Townsend’s massive guitar jangle and sweetness and simplicity of The Everly Brothers, power-pop is so expertly enjoyable that it is rarely present in the world of mainstream music. On his last record, Paul Collins crowned himself The King Of Power Pop, a title he makes a strong argument for. He is most famous as drummer of The Nerves, the influential but short lived 70’s group best known for “Hanging On The Telephone” which would later become a radio staple when covered by Blondie on their humongous Parallel Lines record. He would later play in The Breakaways and The Beat (later re-named The Paul Collins Beat) and has been recording and playing shows fervently for the past 30 years.

Feel The Noise is as pure to the form as any record in his Collins’ career. His voice has barely aged, executing Buddy Holly hiccups on “Baby I’m In Love With You” and pulling off a far-fetched on paper cover of The Four Tops’ “Reach Out (I’ll Be There.”) A hard working master of his craft, Collins rarely misses a step, singing love songs and songs about rock n’ roll, like the inspired title track. He may not be reinventing the wheel, but he is a master of his craft, of which he has few peers. – Jamie Frey

Elmore Magazine site here

GRIMY GOODS features The BLOODHOUNDS

If you had any fear that rock n’ roll was dead, don’t worry because all the things that you love about it are alive and kickin’ now that East Los Angeles four-piece The Bloodhounds have released their debut studio album, Let Loose! via Alive NaturalSound Records. Power pop legend Arthur Alexander (Sorrows, The Poppees) produced this mouthwatering slice of rock ‘n’ roll pie and I highly recommend you sink your teeth into it. Steeped in and indebted to the rock ‘n’ roll traditions of the Rolling Stones honky tonk swag, Dylan’s epic vocal drawl, and everything in between — The Bloodhounds draw from the greatest of influences but create one kickass record to call their own. Throw your shoulders back, roll up your sleeves, and buckle up for maximum rock overdrive.

Read the feature on the Grimy Goods site

PENNYBLACKMUSIC review of PAUL COLLINS “Feel The Noise”

The energy that Collins and his band (producer Jim Diamond on bass and electric guitar, Eddie Baranek on electric guitar and David Shettler on drums supplementing Collins’ own rhythm guitar playing) display through this album is breathtaking. The band storm through the songs. Even on tracks like ‘With a Girl Like You’ where Collins and company slow things down a little, the power in his vocals along with Baranek’s stunning guitar sound still make for an exhilarating ride. There’s a distinct 50’s flavour to some of these songs too. Collins has made no secret of the fact that he wanted to make a rock and roll album, that he wanted to prove that good old fashioned rock and roll was still alive and relevant today, and he’s succeeded.

(…) Thanks Paul Collins, you’ve just made thousands of jaded music fans happy again while showing the young pretenders how it should be done and at the same time winning them over to. ‘Feel the Noise’; play it loud with company and see how long it takes before “Who is that?” is fired at you, followed by the words “It’s bloody good”. – Malcolm Carter

Read the complete review on the Pennyblackmusic site