Review: Handsome Jack - Do What Comes Naturally
By Juliana Scheiderer
[Alive Naturalsound; 2014]
Rating: 5/10
Key Tracks: “Right On,” “Between the Lines”
Blues-rock outfit Handsome Jack’s latest release sounds like it was released 40 years late. Even the album art is a blast from the past and looks like it belongs on one of Dad’s old concert tees.
At first listen, Do What Comes Naturally seems pretty decent; listeners can jam to it. There’s some nice harmonica incorporations and the ‘70s vibe is dead on. From the album art to the vocals to unkempt appearance of the members, Handsome Jack is dedicated to maintaining its old-school style and is nothing if not consistent.
That’s the problem, in fact. The album could use some inconsistencies. The band is too focused on making listeners think that it’s really a ‘70s southern-rock band and the songs suffer. As the album plays, listeners realize the tracks may change, but the songs don’t. After a while, Do What Comes Naturally starts to feel like an album of repeats.
“Between the Lines” shakes things up a bit with somewhat cheery yet mellow guitars and poignant lyrics like, “Tell me why, oh why, are we tryin’ to hurt each other?” But unfortunately, it’s not enough. The following track, “Dead Tracks,” has a promising start in the form of a groovy bass intro, but then disappointingly descends into another blues-rock bore.
What is most disappointing is that Handsome Jack (who takes its name from a rather obscure video game character) has a lot of potential. The vocalist, for example, sounds like Jimi Hendrix has risen from the dead and sauntered onto Spotify. The vibe of Handsome Jack is incredible, recalling the '70s so well that listeners will be shocked to discover that the band actually isn’t writing from first-hand experience.
And yet the album is still boring. How is that even possible?
The album has a few redeeming qualities. The band’s typically relaxed, southern rock vibe takes on an eerie feel on “Creepin’;" despite not being incredibly original, it’s an honorable attempt at versatility by Handsome Jack.
Then, lo and behold, on “Right On” listeners hear the faintest echoes of female backing vocals. At this point, the audience is craving anything to break up the stagnant monotony of previous tracks and this effect, although minimal, helps. Female vocals in a southern rock album? Now, that’s interesting.
For fans of blues-rock and painfully slow head banging, Do What Comes Naturally will be the perfect soundtrack to your next chill porch gathering. For everyone else, feel free to skip this album. Revival is great, but this album feels more like a slow death. Somebody needs to put it out of its misery.
