Jay Hooks – Tequila & Bullets
Joplin Street Music
https://jayhooksbandbandzoogle.com
12 tracks/44 minutes
Jay Hooks career began in the 1990’s and released his first album in 1997. A great career followed until 2005 when his interest in guitar and music waned. A 15 year layoff ended in 2020 and he returned to the studio last year and poured out his heart and soul into the album. This is is Texas rock and blues rock done with true feeling. Hooks had his hand in writing 11 of the 12 cuts here. The band here is Matt Johnson (drums and producer), Brock Proctor (bass), and Barry Seeland (keyboards).
Hooks begins with a short, blazing rocker entitled “Evinrude Boat Motor.” His riffs are hot and get your blood flowing strongly to get the album going. The title track follows. It’s got a slow, heavy groove and throbbing beat. Hooks plays and sings with passion. Next is “A Woman Like You” with a more laid back approach to start, but hooks builds into a vocal assault for the choruses as the heavy guitar and backline drive the cut along. He, of course, adds another signature solo on his guitar, too.
“Lonesome” is next, a mid tempo rocker with stinging guitar and another huge solo. The organ was up front a lot and added to the feel and sound. Hooks howls out the lead vocals on “Your Touch.” It’s a love song assault of sorts. He sings of his woman’s touch but it’s not a low key approach to his feelings for her and relationships. More big guitar and a cool driving groove. “Left Me Cold” opens with some bass and has a bit of a Texas funk to it. Pretty guitar licks and a slick vibe sell this one.
“Mind Full” is a bouncing and vibrant rocker that continues the big sound of this album. Hooks pays tribute to the Mississippi Sheiks with a song titled after them. He says he saw them on the corner, but then realizes it would take a time machine for that to happen. He guitar is huge, in your face and vibrant. Up next is “Red Neck Shit.” I guess it is, as Hooks sings about kicking ass and doing red neck shit. It’s a fun ride.
“I Was Wrong” follows. The tempo is a bit slower as Hooks wails out his apologetic lyrics. It’s interesting and funny that it follows his cut about acting out with red neck shit. Another huge guitar anthemic solo is featured here. Next up we have “My kinda Fine,” a tribute to what he likes in a woman. The guitar again rings loudly and with feeling. The album concludes with “Mexican Larry,” a slow and bluesy ballad of sorts with deep feeling and here we get more of that nice, big organ support. The final guitar solo leave the listener wanting more, but wait! Hooks closes with another one!
This is not an album for the faint hearted. It’s in your face, guitar slinging, rocking stuff. There’s blues here, but the Texas rock is predominantly what we get and it’s hot. Kudos for Jay Hooks and his return to music!
