Joe Hodgson - Since You Had A Hold On Me / Stick Or Twist

​Joe Hodgson

Since You Had A Hold On Me / Stick Or Twist
self-released; 2025

By Jamie Funk
​

​Joe Hodgson’s latest split single pairs two distinct sides of his artistry, each orbiting the gravitational pull of his guitar work. The release features “Since You Had A Hold On Me,” a soulful blues burner with vocals from gravel-voiced Irish singer Glen Harkin, and “Stick Or Twist,” an instrumental that swerves between genres with the confidence of someone who has spent a lifetime listening closely. Both tracks were recorded in rural Ireland, and I could almost hear the rain hitting the roof in the background. There is a kind of rugged clarity to the production that fits the songs well.

“Since You Had A Hold On Me” hits like a weathered confession. It is a slow-burning blues track filled with betrayal, half-truths, and the kind of pain that does not leave quietly. Right from the opening notes, Hodgson’s guitar lays it all out. There is organ, bass, and just enough atmosphere to let Harkin’s voice cut through. The vocals are rough, lived-in, and deeply convincing. They do not try to sound pretty. They sound true. By the time the lead guitar kicks in a little after the three minute mark, it feels like the song has fully stepped into its own heartbreak. Hodgson does not just play through the emotion. He pulls it out of every bend and sustain.

“Stick Or Twist” tells a different story entirely. It is loose, energetic, and flirtatious in its style-hopping. The track touches on rock and funk, with little detours into grooves that feel like they belong in a late-night jam session. Hodgson’s guitar is again at the center, but this time it dances instead of cries. The track has a syncopated edge, thanks to what sounds like horns or synths locking into a rhythm that pulls the piece forward. Then it smooths out and lets the guitar take over again. That shift in mood kept me engaged.

What I liked most about this release is how it highlights two sides of Hodgson’s playing. One is emotional and grounded in story and voice. The other is more abstract and driven by texture and rhythm. They are clearly different tracks, but they complement each other. Hodgson’s guitar voice remains the unifying thread, full of tone, instinct, and the ability to express feeling without saying a word.

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