Genre: BLUES ROCK

Label: Independent

Release date: 18^th October 2019

Line up:

Jack J. Hutchinson – Vocals/Guitar

Lazarus Michaelides – Bass

Felipe Amorim – Drums

Alberto Manuzzi – Keyboard

Tracklist:

Justified
Haunted Bones
Kiss Your Ass Goodbye
I Will Follow You
Lucky Man
Peace of Mind
Roll Another One
Let it Ride
Autumn Leaves
Winds of Change
Sleep Awake Obey!

My first taste of London based guitarist Jack J Hutchinson came in the early part of this year when I saw him support Kris Barras in the Garage, Islington. It was an incredible live performance and I thereafter retreated to check out the album back catalogue which left me awaiting this latest offering with much enthusiasm.

Who Feeds the Wolf?, which is due for release on 18^th October opens with “Justified”, a modern sounding, fast paced rock song which reeled me in and kept me hooked with amazing guitar riffs and catchy lyrics.

It is no easy task to select highlights from a record of this calibre but “Kiss Your Ass Goodbye” is an intoxicating, diverse track that I was addicted to within seconds and felt compelled to listen to over and over. Beginning with a delicate Southern rock vibe, the guitar intro is gentle and stunning before picking up pace and intensity. Musically and lyrically superb, it showcases Hutchinson’s talent, and that of his band to maximum potential.

“I Will Follow You” is a notably slower, slightly melancholy tune, full of feeling and featuring fantastic vocals, while “Peace of Mind” is an amazing composition which changes tempo and direction somewhere after the minute mark and demonstrates complex musical proficiency throughout.

“Haunted Bones”, one of the shorter songs on the album and an excellent choice for a single, loosely epitomises to the listener the ‘feel’ of this production, although I find it difficult to readily categorise as a whole due to varying styles and sounds, with some tracks resonating a distinctly vintage feel. Featuring a striking acoustic guitar intro, ballad “Autumn Leaves” leaves an indelible impression.

It would be tempting to list the qualities of every track on this album but ill suffice to say that it is superb in its entirety from the opening track, to the last frenzied riff of “Sleep Awake Obey!”. This release encapsulates enormous musical talent coupled with prolific song writing ability, the tracks spanning different musical genres like the auditory perception of an emotional roller coaster.

This is undoubtedly one the best releases I’ve heard this year and when Jack hits the road in September to unveil it, I’m certain that audiences everywhere will be as enamored with the new material as I am…