Juke Rockets Blues Band, High Octane - Hungry Soul (2015)

Tracklist

01. American Train
02. Can't Complain Blues
03. Cougar
04. Hungry Soul
05. Keep on Walkin'
06. Mister 7
07. Sunday Morning
08. Summertime
09. When I'm Good
10. We Threw Love Away



The Juke Rockets are true believers in the blues. The Waldo County-based four piece — powerhouse vocalist Carlene Thornton, guitarist Ron Casillo, bassist Steve Mellor and drummer/manager Tim Woitowitz — have been plying their trade for nearly a decade, most of that with Thornton, who got her start singing Janis Joplin karaoke before moving on to front the band. Now, finally, after eight years as a band and five with Thornton, the Juke Rockets have released their first proper album, “Hungry Soul,” which features nine all original songs and just one cover. There’s a reason the band has won the Road to Memphis competition twice now: they are very good musicians and songwriters, with a natural sense of the blues. Listening to “Hungry Soul,” you get the sense that these songs are just itching to be played live, where they truly live and thrive. And that’s where the Juke Rockets are meant to be, whether it’s in a bar, a club, an outdoor venue or a festival. Thornton, a charismatic front person, pairs beautifully with Casillo’s guitar licks and the super-tight rhythmic foundation of Mellor and Woitowitz. If you’re a blues fan in Maine, you definitely should give this a listen.

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