Review: Travis Bowlin – Hooks & Grooves
Travis Bowlin – Hooks & Grooves
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: Independent
Release: 2024
Text: Pascal Wilhelm
Never heard of Travis Bowlin before, but it was his voice that made me wanting to know more about him.
Six years since its predecessor, ‘Secundus,’ ‘Hooks & Grooves’ was released early October this year. Ten original songs, featuring his soulful voice. How would I describe his music? It’s souful, bluesy, but a bit middle-of-the-road I must admit. Highlights are the slow blues songs Lost Her Damn Mind and Secret (“How many people can you tell a secret before it is not a secret anymore”). It seems that the funky stuff and the slow blues thing fit him well.
Travis is also into cigar box guitar building and I really dig that scene. He organises the annual Travis Bowlin’ Cigar Box Guitar Party and that seems like a lot of fun to me. Cigar box building is a positive addiction and the parties cigar box people have are always good. Cigar box guitars lower thresholds for people to make music and I can appreciate Travis’s contribution to that movement.
Back to ‘Hooks & Grooves.’ Let’s say this record would have been a better one if it was recorded live. It is the type of songs that get a dynamic build-up when played live and this studio thing just does not do it for me.
But we are talking about a fine, sympathetic, honest musician here who knows how to rock ‘n roll (go online and find footage of The Travis Bowlin Band doing So Wrong and you’ll know what I am talking about). And man, he can sing! I wish I had just a tiny piece of this man’s voice!
I would be so much happier.
Tracks:
01. Four Four Fever
02. Just Saw My Baby
03. Leaving Again
04. Thicknessity
05. Live Your Life
06. Lost Her Damn Mind
07. Saint Bernardus Boogie
08. Secret
09. Talk to Your Man
10. Nobody Left
Website: https://travisbowlin.com/