The follow-on album from the 2022 The Hammer Falls by Jack J Hutchinson sees him at his most exposed in his style of songwriting by touching on subject matter at a very personal level. This album shows the London bases blues-rocker’s vocal and guitar skills. The album is set to be released on February 8^th with an album launch show at the O2 Academy in London before he takes the album out on the road for a UK tour.

The album was recorded at the Momentum Studios in Plymouth and produced and co-written with Josiah J Manning on guitar and bass. Manning has worked in the past with Kris Barras and Inglorious amongst others. The album also introduces Billy Hammell on drums. The album has very personal subject matter and Jack’s writing skills shine through; covering sensitive topics such as addiction, fighting inner battles with demons, falling from grace, and reflecting against love and hate in the lyrics.

A personal album showing real feelings and emotions about life throughout

Battles is certainly a heavy album that grabs the listener right from the opening track and keeps you hooked right throughout the ten tracks with sublime lyrical storytelling which takes the listen on a journey through life’s trials and tribulations.

Constellations was the first eagerly awaited single to be released and it’s a very heavy opener to the album, packed with the amazing guitar riffs which we have come to associate with Jack J Hutchinson. This was followed by the equally heavy Days Are Gone and Bullets, which deals with battles to be won. This leads into the slightly softer Road To Hell a track which deals with falling from grace. Running On Empty, Rip it Up which reflects against love and hate, and Love Is The Law which is about forgetting regret and turning wrong into right, are heavier tracks which juxtaposition sensitive topics with thunderous grooves. One of my favourite songs on this album Don’t Let The Fuckers Get You Down, I just loved the vibe and beat of this one. Similarly, Overdrive has a very catchy beat and is the very riff heavy.

There are a couple of softer tracks on this album; Love Is The Law deals with forgetting about regret and trying to turn wrong into right. The ballad Stay With Me, which is the final track on the album, talks about the mistakes made in any relationship that’s in turmoil and is just simply a beautiful song and one of my favourites on this album.