Hooked

Description

Afin de célébrer le trentième anniversaire de Hooked, Bad Reputation réédite l’album original avec sa pochette originale non censurée, et agrémenté de son CD bonus intitulé Live in New York, enregistré à Electric Lady Studios le 31 mai 1991.
2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Hooked with its superb controversial and provocative cover. You don’t attract the great white shark with bad bait. In 1991, Great White was still enjoying the epic success of 1989… Twice Shy. With blues-based guitar riffs and the cover of "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" by Ian Hunter, Great White continued to move away from its Glam roots…
Great White serves us a new burst of compositions mixing Hard, Rock, and Blues for a result that is once again exciting. While capitalizing on the success of its previous album, the US band drives the point home. The roots are now fully embraced, not only due to two new covers ('Can’t Shake It' by The Angels, and 'Afterglow' by the Small Faces), but also through strong nods to the glorious past, elegantly blending the blues sensibility of Led Zeppelin and the irresistible riffs of AC/DC ('Heartbeaker').
We also think of The Angels on 'The Original Queen Of Sheba', and for good reason, one of the Brewster brothers co-wrote it, but also ZZ Top on 'Cold Hearted Lovin’ '. And to assert this strong roots identity from the start, Jack Russell's band unleashes a family rock’n’roll with the aptly named 'Call It Rock’n’Roll' alternating tasty solos and an obsessive chorus. However, being proud of one’s roots does not necessarily mean having an identity that fades into the shadows of historical references. Indeed, Great White is no clone of anyone and does not need help to compose true gems with a marked personality, the peak being reached with 'Congo Square' enchanting the audience throughout a crescendo build-up from a bluesy intro to intense rock, featuring Hammond organ interludes and solos during which Kendall makes his guitar both purr and roar. After that, the freshness of 'South Bay Cities' with its clap-hands and slide, and the biting riff of the Hard-Rock 'Desert Moon' keep you in Nirvana before 'Afterglow' serves as a smooth landing with its chorus that you continue to hum for hours after listening.
New demonstration of the talent of Kendall, Russell, and Lardie, without neglecting an indispensable rhythm section, "Hooked" confirms Great White as a reference for a know-how that is both traditional and original. A new journey through US landscapes, Rock, Blues, and Hard, it stands out as an essential album for all lovers of feeling and energy.
Some people complained at the album's release about the sound of the drums and the overall mix not being 'Heavy' or 'Hard' enough. With this reissue and the new mastering, we have tried to give this great album another chance to ensure that everyone agrees on this masterpiece.