Brother JT3 - Hang On In There Baby

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 26 / 10 / 2003

Label: Drag City
Format: CD

"Intrepid" combination of grunge and country rock, recorded in one day by the ever-eccentric Brother JT

Review

'Hang on in There, Baby' follows Brother JT's 'Spirituals' and can be compared to the equivalent of a gentle shove to someone suffering with a hang-over. His new album is like the morning daze that follows a grand night out on the tiles. It would come to me as no surprise if the album title was actually a comforting remark once made to JT by one of his excellent 'band' members. This fourth album is the by-product of a wandering spirit performing with an assembled gang of mates who felt they needed to excel, just for him. If only JT would be like Jesus. Heck, I'm not even sure whether JT's drunk on liquor or high in The Lord but the fact is this album was done in one day. A very fine day it was; 12. March, 2003. A Wednesday. Intrepid grunge met with some delicious country rock remainders. JT is devout in spite of a track title like 'Let's Not and Say We Did' since his references to Christianity are damn remote from the orthodox implications. As he croons over a swamp rock music, backdrop he comes close to being the nutty preacher wearing his jacket the other way around. Before they come to take him away, you'd better tune in. 'Hang On in There, Baby' falls short of the magnificence in melody of 'Spirituals'. The bonus jam towards the end is a nice psychic blues workout only to be enjoyed once. The exhilarance right now is in his band's playing. That's what friends are for.