Zak Hawkins (Vocals) Brad Craig (Guitar) Jesse Hawkins (Bass) and Yoni Yahel (Drums) are Mini Simmons. The band plays a satisfying blend of rock and blues on their debut EP entitled Whiskey and The Witch.
Bands like Led Zeppelin and The White Stripes came to mind. For the most part they sound like a band that would have been around from the late 60’s and early 70’s. Suffice it to say the band isn't’ reinventing the wheel with these songs but delivers on multiple fronts. Up first is “Cowboy Cigarette” which starts with vocals and guitar. Once the drums and lead guitar come into the mix the song is smothered with Jimmy Page-esque type guitar as well as a good amount of attitude. I loved the way the song unfolded especially the slide guitar you are greeted with around the two minute mark. “Slippery Gypsy Woman” also captures that badass 70’s flavor that is raw, visceral and honest. The groove is infectious and felt like a great song to rock out to. I haven't seen them live but have a feeling this song sounds great after a couple of beers in a small club. “Witching Hour” certainly had its moments as well but I think the highlight was “Bar Dance”. They display a little more versatility on “Bar Dance” which taps into a jazzy vibe not unlike The Doors but also hit pop sensibilities they you could argue has more in common with The Byrds. Either way the hooks really stood out to me as well as the songwriting on this particular track. The band did a great job capturing the tone and textures of 70’s rock. They recorded and mixed it themselves and have to say they did a stellar job in this department. I also had a chance to check out their pics on Facebook and the band looks the part. They are a bunch of young guys with long hair who drip with the rock and roll allure. The only advice I have is for the band to think about what kind of x-factor they can throw in the mix to make their sound stick out. This style of music isn’t going away any time soon and if you can find a way for an audience to remember your sound rather than the other guy then that is a good thing. Overall, this is a really good EP which builds a foundation for the band. I’m interested to hear where they go from here.
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