Jack J Hutchinson – Battles

As the album title of the fifth studio offering from riff-rugged rock-blues musician Jack J Hutchinson hints at, and as confirmed by the lyrics of powerful opening number 'Constellations' (a blistering, three-minute burst of pedal-down thunder with a gritty riff thicker than your arm) the London based guitar-slinger is in defiant and purposeful mood (traits that permeate through the entire, ten track album).
While Battles follows in the semi-feral footsteps of similarly weighted albums Feed The Wolf (2019) and The Hammer Falls (2022), this time around there’s a bolder sound and a forthright, honest and uplifting approach applied to the everyday life lyrics (a catharsis of sorts).
Nor does it hurt that Hutchinson and album producer Josiah J Manning (Kris Barras Band, Inglorious) are clearly on the same page, and not just sonically; Manning also co-wrote with Hutchinson and played bass and additional guitars on the album (the other featured player is drummer Billy Hammett).
In short, a partnership that has paid directional dividends, with Hutchinson playing, singing and sounding better (kudos here to Manning’s full-bodied production and mix) than ever.
Following the defiant stance of 'Constellations' ("Stand tall, I’ve found my better days") is the contemporary meets grunge of 'Days Are Gone,' which cleverly incorporates a heavy-pop, earworm chorus.
The riff-driven raucous roll of 'Bullets' is, as the lyric states, another "stand tall" number, one bolstered by a big, hook chorus (a Jack J/ Battles trait); contrast then comes by way of the bluesier 'Road To Hell,' a slow and contemplative number that advises not to be so quick to judge.
The rock-blues swagger and mid-tempo muscle of 'Running On Empty' sports a tasty solo from Jack J Hutchinson before 'Rip It Up' returns to the drive and purpose of 'Constellations,' with a lyric that offers hard truth as an antidote to the spin and bullshit you can fall foul off ("Take the lies that they spin, flip the picture that they paint").
There’s a change of gear for the reflective and highly contemporary 'Love Is The Law' (a song that's not far removed from a rockier take on the Paul Weller sound). That it also includes a lovely, melodic little solo from Jack J Hutchinson does it no harm whatsoever as it puts itself forward as surprise highlight of the album.
The more familiar Jack J sound returns with the tempo-shifting 'Don’t Let The Fuckers Get You Down,' which is straight to the lyrical point.
The pounding and slightly punky 'Overdrive' has a backstory that’s as interesting as its Metallica meets Billy Idol sound – the song was written in North Hollywood on a prototype acoustic guitar originally built for David Bowie (related, Jack J Hutchinson’s uncle John "Hutch" Hutchinson played acoustic on the original recording of 'Space Oddity').
Album closer 'Stay With Me' is a slow blues love song in contemporary Jack J clothing; as such, with its humbling and forgiving lyricism ("I beg you to stay with me, the hurt will wash away in the breeze… your crimes they don’t mean nothing, give it to the past and let it be") it becomes another highlight in what is undoubtedly Jack J Hutchinson’s best and most personally fulfilling album to date.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
While Battles follows in the semi-feral footsteps of similarly weighted albums Feed The Wolf (2019) and The Hammer Falls (2022), this time around there’s a bolder sound and a forthright, honest and uplifting approach applied to the everyday life lyrics (a catharsis of sorts).
Nor does it hurt that Hutchinson and album producer Josiah J Manning (Kris Barras Band, Inglorious) are clearly on the same page, and not just sonically; Manning also co-wrote with Hutchinson and played bass and additional guitars on the album (the other featured player is drummer Billy Hammett).
In short, a partnership that has paid directional dividends, with Hutchinson playing, singing and sounding better (kudos here to Manning’s full-bodied production and mix) than ever.
Following the defiant stance of 'Constellations' ("Stand tall, I’ve found my better days") is the contemporary meets grunge of 'Days Are Gone,' which cleverly incorporates a heavy-pop, earworm chorus.
The riff-driven raucous roll of 'Bullets' is, as the lyric states, another "stand tall" number, one bolstered by a big, hook chorus (a Jack J/ Battles trait); contrast then comes by way of the bluesier 'Road To Hell,' a slow and contemplative number that advises not to be so quick to judge.
The rock-blues swagger and mid-tempo muscle of 'Running On Empty' sports a tasty solo from Jack J Hutchinson before 'Rip It Up' returns to the drive and purpose of 'Constellations,' with a lyric that offers hard truth as an antidote to the spin and bullshit you can fall foul off ("Take the lies that they spin, flip the picture that they paint").
There’s a change of gear for the reflective and highly contemporary 'Love Is The Law' (a song that's not far removed from a rockier take on the Paul Weller sound). That it also includes a lovely, melodic little solo from Jack J Hutchinson does it no harm whatsoever as it puts itself forward as surprise highlight of the album.
The more familiar Jack J sound returns with the tempo-shifting 'Don’t Let The Fuckers Get You Down,' which is straight to the lyrical point.
The pounding and slightly punky 'Overdrive' has a backstory that’s as interesting as its Metallica meets Billy Idol sound – the song was written in North Hollywood on a prototype acoustic guitar originally built for David Bowie (related, Jack J Hutchinson’s uncle John "Hutch" Hutchinson played acoustic on the original recording of 'Space Oddity').
Album closer 'Stay With Me' is a slow blues love song in contemporary Jack J clothing; as such, with its humbling and forgiving lyricism ("I beg you to stay with me, the hurt will wash away in the breeze… your crimes they don’t mean nothing, give it to the past and let it be") it becomes another highlight in what is undoubtedly Jack J Hutchinson’s best and most personally fulfilling album to date.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ