June 24, 2014
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Jimmy Jax Pinchak Band – Make It Better
by Steve Rafferty
Rock and roll is alive and well. Looking at a picture of Jimmy Jax Pinchak, though is a little weird. That’s because the music here is so mature. Yet, Pinchak looks so young. One has to wonder how a person so youthful can produce music that sounds this informed and conscious.
Whatever the secret, though, Pinchak and his band have produced a fine release here.
I can hear the Yardbirds on the riff that starts the album as “There Is More” kicks into gear. The song works out to a more power-pop like jam from there. The instrumental section on this brings some grunge into the mix. Modern hard rocking music is the idea behind “On the Run.” The instrumental section, though, has a lot of Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy built into it.
Smoking hot hard rock makes up “Tell Me.” The thing is gritty and fired up. It’s got a lot of real powerhouse bluesy rock. The vocal lines are more pop rock oriented. It’s a real winner. The title track is probably the best song here. It’s a soulful rocker that just works great.
It’s not the hardest edged thing here but it’s just got lots of class.
“Into the Fire” opens with a blues rock riff that feels like something The Rolling Stones might come up with. It works out from there to a straightforward rocker with some real Americana in the mix. Another mainstream rocker, “Free Your Mind” seems to be the most contemporary tune here. It’s also one of the best. It’s catchy and fun.
In some ways it seems like the cover of Tommy James’ “Draggin’ the Line” really makes a lot of sense. I mean, this is really the kind of music that the whole set has represented. It’s hard edged, but focused on vocal hooks and just plain catchy songwriting. This fits in as if it were an original. It still holds up well, too. On the other hand, the cover of Santana’s “Soul Sacrifice” isn’t as successful. For one thing, as a drawn out instrumental it doesn’t have the same kind of “draw the listener in” appeal that the rest of the set does. For another, it just really feels dated. It’s definitely too long. It’s okay, but I think this would be a better disc without it.
This is the kind of thing I’ll be listening to for a long time. It’s safe to say I’m not the only one. This is great music with a wide range of appeal. It’s highly recommended for anyone who digs great hard rock.
For more, visit jimmyjaxpinchak.com