If there's one thing that moves me the most in music, it's when I can feel the genuine joy in it. And that's what came through instantly on Josephine Network's new album Hooked (out on Lollipop Records). From the opening note to the very end, you can feel the unadulterated enthusiasm and excitement that Josephine put into writing and recording these songs. Loud, catchy, and fun has always been the secret sauce for rock 'n' roll, and there's something absolutely perfect about the title of this album. I was instantly hooked, and you will be as well if you dig glam rock and power pop that take their cues from the '70s but still sound hot and fresh today.
Glam rock and classic power pop were always close cousins, and here Josephine brings them together in a way that could not sound more natural. There are sticky-sweet hooks all over the place, and there's plenty of swagger as well. And plain and simple, this album rocks. Put in on, turn it up, and forget about your troubles for 26 minutes. By the time you get to the end, it will be impossible to feel pessimistic about life. The title track would be a massive radio hit if they still played real rock 'n' roll on the radio. "All I'll Do" sounds like the best song Shoes never wrote. "Mary Jane Girls" is like the Beach Boys gone glam and so joyfully catchy that it ought to be illegal. Elsewhere, Josephine hits the sweet spot for bubblegum pop ("When Nobody's Home"), wham bam glam rock ("Kiss of the T" and "Babbling Fool"), and even some full-throttle riff rock boogie ("Revved Up Things"). "The Rockers" is pure rock 'n' roll with a pop heartbeat and the perfect closer for this absolute delight of an album. For this release, Josephine worked with producer Ryan Howe, who clearly gets what Josephine Network is all about. Hershguy and Nat Brower share drumming duties and totally match Josephine's energy with every beat. If an album that meets at the intersection of Nick Gilder, Big Star, T. Rex, and Thin Lizzy sounds like something that would get your heart beating faster, Hooked just might have you obsessed. And how glorious is that cover art?
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