Dave Haynes – Six Cuts
Self-Release – 2026
https://davehaynes.hearnow.com
6 tracks; 21 minutes
On his latest release, blues rocker Dave Haynes manages a trick that is sometimes difficult to accomplish, he sounds like himself. Part of the reason is because his voice is unique and partly because it’s seriously DIY. Haynes wrote, produced, sang, and played all the instruments (except drums) on the record. He recently said in an interview that many of the songs were inspired by a recent trip to Ireland. Haynes is British by birth, but Los Angeles-based. You can tell that he’s a rocker at heart, but someone with a wide swath of other influences and experience, including blues, pop, and punk.
Haynes has played the SoCal bar scene in recent years with an outfit called Sixes & Sevens, which has Lisa Meegan singing lead. This solo effort has a different feel with the axeman stepping out front to sing and doing all the writing. It’s a nice step forward from the series of singles Haynes released in 2022. The album is full of hooks and riffs and the choruses are memorable. The leadoff track has a dark edge with a first line “just got out of jail today” and the chorus warns us to “stay away from Cutthroat Alley”.
The second tune “Blood Money” is a slower vehicle to showcase some guitar pyro. Some of the lyrics sound like they come from a writer that’s had a run-in or three with the wrong end of the music business, like the catchy juke joint guitar and tambourine-driven “Trash Talkin’ Man” and “Protection Racket”, which is reminiscent of the themes in Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City”. Some of the songs sound like a bluesier version of the pop-metal that L.A. produced in the late 80s and early 90s (dare I say Danger Danger and Cinderella).
The whole record focuses somewhat on shysters, boogeymen, survival, and the wrong side of town. “Blue Lights” is a moody mid-tempo number. “Holiday” is a glossy road trip song that would have fit in well in one of the Chevy Chase Vacation movies and sounds a lot like Fountains of Wayne (a good thing). It has strong rhythm and lead guitar work and tight harmonies. It’s the perfect way to end the album on an upswing and is the catchiest tune of the bunch. For a low-profile side hustle, this one is pretty cool. It’s available on the major streaming services and at the artist’s website.
