Jane Lee Hooker

Album Title: Spiritus
Record Label: Ruf Records
Review by Sal Serio
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Jane Lee Hooker - Spiritus

The 5 ladies of NYC heavy blues are back with their 2nd album, titled ‘Spiritus’. Whereas the 2016 release ‘No B’ showed more of a Zeppelin-type hard-rock-meets-whiskey-blues swagger, this new collection of songs showcases more originality and individualism. A more defined personal identity, if you will. And more emphasis on blues than the rock, with lead singer Dana Athens leading the pack with a forceful Melissa Etheridge or Beth Hart sort of demanding persona. Forceful, but still sensitive when the song calls for it. In fact, the group “serves the song” quite well on this release, with guitarists Tracy Hightop and Tina Gorin stepping forward with the goods at all the right times, but more importantly, laying back when the song needs to breathe with more space.

‘Spiritus’ is comprised of 8 excellent Jane Lee Hooker originals, and two covers, one being a revved up take on Big Mama Thornton’s “Black Rat”. The other cover, “Turn On Your Love Light” is the sole misfire of the album, mainly because it doesn’t compliment the attitude of the band very well. This is probably a personal bias on my part, since I’ve heard that song played to death by so many sub-par jam bands and haphazard Grateful Dead permutations. In the long run though, it’s a forgivable foul ball considering the otherwise solid home runs present here.

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