When I listen to old school 80’s bands I often wonder how and why certain artists were blessed with record deals while other bands, often of better quality, charisma, and talent, never got to plant their ass cheeks on a fluffy chair across from some A&R Exec at Geffen or Atlantic records.
Such is the case with a streetwise quintet from gritty NYC, called Grimm Jack. They possessed all the elements of success; a loyal fan following, critical acclaim, radio airplay and most importantly, they had great songs!
Well, instead of focusing on the “why not?” let’s focus on the “why now?”
After a long hiatus during the 90’s, which left them creating families and careers over epic records, a kettle full of unreleased material was simmering on the back burner.
Said kettle boiled over in 2010 and resulted in a reuniting of the band in where a full length version of “Partners in Crime” was unleashed on the world. This resurgence of all things rock inspired Grimm Jack to release yet another record entitled “Damned,” which is a 3-song teaser that is sure to impress any fan of 80’s tinged hard rock. It contains a spine-tingling cover of Neil Young’s “Ohio,” which is tastefully performed in a slower tempo, with more of a blues-ier edge than the original. This is followed by a smoky, bar room anthem, that is sprinkled with harmonica, entitled “Last Call.” MTV would have undoubtedly produced the coolest video for this tune, had it been released in 1986.
The title track, “Damned,” starts off with a careful tip-toed beat that quickly surges with power once the whiskey and gravel laced vocals of Billy Kohout begin to snarl out the lyrics.
As mentioned, this 3-song EP is just a teaser. Here’s hoping 2012 inspires 8 more songs and a tour!
Visit their website at www.GrimmJack.com
