Seattle Via Austin

posted in: Artist Features

On Excuse the Need, Chris Hawkes admits, I’m freaking myself out. Maybe it’s the rhythmic lunge of guitars and percussion, the distortion that singes every note. Maybe it’s Austin-based singer-songwriter’s powerhouse voice, or his bent for early grunge. All these things add to a freakishly good collection of meaty alt-rock songs”a mix of Soundgarden and STP for the modern man. The lurching guitars of Control power through to a sludgy chorus that doubles as a mantra. As a guitarist, Hawkes loves to chug, as every track will prove. Nothing To Lose is pure garage rock, with a snarl of sinewy guitars that burrow down into the groove. Likewise, Throwing Stones is a fierce rocker that’s neck-deep in swagger. Derivative is boring, but Hawkes manages to stay current while leveraging the best of ˜90s rock. And to that we can only say, freakin’ A.