Hopeless Jack - self titled

 

When I first saw Jack about 7 years ago, I was totally knocked out by his 2-piece (him on guitar/vocals and a drummer, the Handsome Devil) bluesy rock'n'roll and his wild, non-stop live antics. I picked up his two CD's at the time and I have played them constantly ever since. I was lucky enough to be able to play on the same bill with him once again last weekend and he was generous enough to hand me this, his newest CD offering.

Gifted with a powerful, baritone voice - kinda like if Johnny Cash was more tuneful - Jack opens the album with an acoustic folk/blues, "Hollow", not unlike something that Cash would have done on one of his later albums. From there he raises the energy level with a pumpin' piano rocker, "Withered Tree", sounding a bit like a upbeat rockabilly blues, while "Go Ahead" is somewhat similar to Roy Buchanan's take on "C.C. Rider" with a rollickin' instrumental section. He gets dark'n'haunting in "Hidden Eyes", with some ethereal electric piano work combining with the distorted guitars very effectively, "Half Empty" is a minor-key, mid-tempo ode to deals with the man below that includes some nice vocal harmonies, "The Deal" is a slow, sizzlin' stomper in an early Black Keys-vein (when they were a stripped-down blues combo), cleverly rollin' percussion highlights "Beg Me To Stay", "Crow Jane" is a moody, finger-pickin' ballad that builds into a dynamic powerhouse complete with soaring organ before he closes out with a straight ahead lascivious, animalistic rocker in "Prowl".

Possibly a little more controlled than his previous outings, but the songwriting is still strong as ever and the performances are pretty damn killer. Get it and see him if/when he comes to your town!