Black Hollies at Mercury Lounge
The Black Hollies will put you in a time warp. Seeing them live at the Mercury Lounge on Tuesday took me back to the sixties, a time that I can't even remember, but I felt like I was at psychedelic party possibly somewhere in Britain. But this New Jersey band, with three members from Rye Coalition, plays some good ol' fashion rock "n" roll. Their best "numbers" are upbeat, have a simple chord progression, and a hopping bass line that gets you moving. Their set started with a song about the "sweet, sweet lovin'" of the ladies and then next song explained, "Baby, I'm no fool." The Black Hollies latch onto a phrase a squeeze it for everything its worth. There were some slow spots in the show, especially when they overdid the warble on the lead guitar, making this unrelenting shimmer. I could have done without those songs. But when they're rockin', simplicity is their strength. You get it after one listen, which makes The Black Hollies instant fun.
FULL DISCLOSURE
Pete, who runs their label Earnest Jenning, is a friend but that is not why I am telling you about the band.
