Review: Will Hoge “The Living Room Sessions” [EP]

About this time last year, I was listening to the latest from roots rocking road warrior Will Hoge called, “The Wreckage” (review here). He’s back again so soon with an EP aptly entitled, “The Living Room Sessions”, which consists of new versions of five songs from “The Wreckage” as well as the tune “All Night Long”, a favorite from Hoge’s 2003 landmark record, “Blackbird On A Lonely Wire”. And yes, they were all recorded in his living room.

The six songs are stripped down to bare essentials, but by no means do they sound boring or dull. The organic nature of this format is perfectly suited to nearly every song Hoge has ever put to tape. Indeed, one could argue that his songs sound better this way than with a full blown band and highly polished sheen. “The Living Room Sessions” is like a love letter to fans, but also serves as an appropriate introduction to the world of this talented yet criminally underrated Nashville rocker.

“I like acoustic recordings that try to be different from the album version,” says Hoge. “We just got together and camped out at my house for a couple of days…it’s not a home studio, no real fancy set-up or multi-tracking. The console was a laptop on a card table, and that same table also served simultaneously as the keyboard stand. There were no real overdubs or re-dos or pitch correct. We just did it ‘til we liked it and let it be…not out of laziness, it just seemed to fit.”

Don’t miss Hoge on the “Anything and Everything” tour with (!) Shinedown (an unintuitive combination if I’ve ever heard one) from November 4 – December 9. “The Living Room Sessions” EP is available now.

Will Hoge on MySpace. Official site.

Listen to “Favorite Waste of Time”

Review: Will Hoge "The Wreckage"

Dare I say it, but the past couple of records from Will Hoge have been disappointments for me - yes, they had their moments - but overall I found the albums cumbersome. The songs were still ripe with passion, but lacked the charm and energy - and catchy melodies - that made his first few releases so mesmerizing. Hoge's latest, "The Wreckage" is a solid return to his earlier sound.

"The Wreckage" may have a double meaning. In 2008, Hoge was involved in a traffic accident that nearly robbed the world of this fine talent. As it states in his bio: "As Hoge rode his scooter home from the studio, he was struck by an oncoming van that had veered into his lane. There were no skid marks. Launched off his bike, Hoge ended up bloodied, broken-boned, temporarily blinded, and near death. [The accident] was like stopping a record as it spins,” says Hoge, who had been halfway through recording material for his new record before getting derailed...For ten months, the accident sidelined Hoge. For ten months, it made him do something he hadn’t done in 18 years: stop the music."

But upon listening to "The Wreckage", another meaning seems to emerge. The primary theme that courses through the record is human connectedness. Song after song, Hoge leads us through a very personal and bittersweet exploration of aging human relationships.

While many of the new songs recapture the essence of that made early Hoge records such a joy, "The Wreckage" is not without its missteps. It has a fair share of ballads and only one or two are engaging enough to want to hear more than once (e.g. "Where Do We Go From Down", which finds Hoge searching "for light in a shadow of a doubt"). Hoge's strong suit are his rip-roaring melodic rockers - which he delivers on tracks like "Hard To Love" and "Favorite Waste of Time". Other highlights include his usual life on the road song, "Highway Wings" (isn't there one of these on every Hoge record?) and the inspirational single, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart".

Musically and lyrically, I think the time away from music has recharged Hoge. Track for track, I think the "The Wreckage" is one of his strongest efforts and is second only to "Blackbird On A Lonely Wire" as my favorite Will Hoge album.

When it comes to roots rock, Will Hoge continues to impress with his contagious passion and good natured melodies. He is long overdue for the recognition he deserves and is proving worthy of inheriting the Tom Petty crown.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10

Will Hoge on MySpace. Official site.

CD review: Will Hoge "Draw the Curtains"

The latest from rousing roots rocker Will Hoge is unexpectedly subdued. I did not anticipate so many ballads. I was all ready to rock out to track # 1 and was taken aback by the slow piano and sad hamonica. You'd expect a track or 2 on any Will Hoge disc to have this sound and tempo, but the polarity is reversed on this release. Only 1 or 2 rockers this time around.

But more important - are the songs any good? I wish I could say they were better. They are just too boring and devoid of melody! Lyrically I still give the guy credit, and he still puts his blood sweat and tears into every track. Just listen to the autobiographical closing track and you'll know what Will Hoge is all about.

I loved his earlier work, "Carousel" (2001) and "Blackbird on a Lonely Wire," (2003) but his last two records have disappointed.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 7

Will Hoge at MySpace. Official site.

Cool trivia: Dan Baird was his first guitarist...formerly of Georgia Satellites, remember?! Dan is no longer with the band.