The Jay Clark Band

Cocked and Loaded is The Jay Clark Band's first full-length album devoted to one thing, rocking out. Jay Clark plays the traditional singer-guitarist frontman with a growling bluesy drawl and snarling pentatonic solos. The Cincinnati axeman recruited a tight band of Nashville players to bring to life his homage to all things rock.

'Get Wild' is in the tradition of rockers playing rock n roll songs about playing rock n roll. Four on the floor beat and riffy guitars. Clark details every instrument's part in conjuring the rock spirit as he takes his lady friend to see a “sick band”. The song aims to do what a couple Dire Straits songs and most of AC/DC's catalog does, however, the lyrics are clunky and feel forced. What I'm saying is AC/DC is more poetic. 'Leave It All Behind' does a similar thing, writing a song about writing songs and playing music, inception style. The music is competent bluesy rock that'll get your head nodding at a bar but again, the lyrics are awkwardly jammed into each line and just overly expository.

'Won't Be Pushed Around' actually gains something by simplifying things. Clark's lyrics finally start to lock in with the beat for this 'him or me' anthem. The lead single 'The River' features Adam Cunningham on vocals. The pair trade off verses on this southern rock tune that blends Skynard with Bon Jovi's 'Wanted Dead or Alive'. A home-cooked acoustic intro erupts into an Alabama rock gospel. 'The River' is definitely the album's best-crafted song.

Despite the band's spirit in executing a solid blues rock album, it's very hard to get past the amateurish lyrics. The songs about playing music are painfully contrived and there are even songs that are just plainly explaining a minor snit with his wife. Give him points for gusto but the execution just isn't there. Sticking to guitar might be the best choice for Clark.