Jake Andrews

Like father, like son, Jake Andrews comes by his musical heritage honestly. Little Jake, son of John “Toad” Andrews — guitarist for ‘60s-era, Texas cult-favourite, Mother Earth — was showcasing his blues ability at Antone's by age eight, before maturing into Guitar Jake, veteran of the Austin scene and SXSW regular. Now 18, Jake's first release benefits from a chameleon-like amalgam of styles that sizzle from the experience of his legendary live shows, while it teases his multiple influences across 13 largely self-penned originals. Schooled in the blues of Albert Collins and Freddie King, Time To Burn trips through the archives of Little Feat, Los Lobos and early Boz Scaggs (Jake has dedicated this album to Boz's late son, Oscar) with a hint of Sly Stone. Think of a less dark, pop version of the Arc Angels (with emphasis on Charlie Sexton and less on Double Trouble). Blues are grafted to rock, Tex-Mex to R&B and rock 'n' roll to pop in a heated gumbo that bubbles slowly but soon comes to a boil. The single potential of "The Hard Way," with its simplistic, muscular structure and harmonious, hook-heavy chorus is undeniable. Contrast this to the Boz-like, slippery jazz swing of "Lover To Cry," aided and abetted by the Texacali Horns. John Porter's (Keb 'Mo, B.B. King, The Smiths) production has moved Andrews' guitar behind the mix, resulting in more of a group sound, and less the anticipated guitar record. Yet, Time To Burn marks a solid outing for this Austin wunderkind and, more importantly — based on the esoteric range of material here — suggests a promise of much more to come.