Artist: The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio
Album: Rocket Fuel Logic
Release: 2024
Website: https://mikejacobymusic.com/
The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio is an outfit rooted in Americana and Roots Rock that feels right at home in a playlist with Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Wolf and John Mellencamp. Chimey electric guitars that I suspect all say Fender on the headstock, coupled with warm bass tones and drum sounds that don't feel over compressed make this band a very pleasurable listen. They have well crafted songs that aren't forced in anyway but just flow easily from one simple part to the next. The four chord rock and roll band never gets old when it is done with the taste that this band brings to the music.
There Oughta Be A Law is a standout track that reminds me a bit of The Eagles classic 70's sound. The verses definitely feel derivative of the Eagles heyday, while the pre-chorus takes on a Buddy Holly-esque early rock and roll feel, all leading up to a catchy Petty influenced chorus. With county flavored guitar fills, the song cements its roots in the Americana genre as well as anyone. It has all the ingredients that make Americana what it is.
One of the more country influenced cuts, Your Love Song, feels like when The Rolling Stones flirt with the style. Some slide guitar is peppered throughout adding to the twang that makes this move toward the sound that was coming from Tulsa in the late 70s. A time where it was turning more commercial, but was still rooted in the classic country sound. Make no mistake though, it is still a rock band playing it with a rock and roll heart.
Lie in Bed is another standout, with a great Stones vibe in the spirit of their smash hit Angie. A catchy guitar line at the head sets up a dynamic fall into the acoustic verse that lands impeccably. This band writes well crafted songs with lots of dynamic developments that seem to come quite naturally. This song is a great example of how simplicity is almost always the way to go within the Americana genre. When all the musicians just keep it straight and simple, small dynamic changes and accents speak volumes. The restraint is the hard part for most, but this band sounds so naturally relaxed that it hinges on lazy. It is a quality that Tom Petty embraced at its highest level and this band has the same commitment to it. Bravo on the level of self control this requires!
The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio sound like they belong on the back porch of a bar that draws diverse music listeners. It is music that hippies, bikers and rockers both young and old will all find something to hold on to within it. It simply feel good simple rock and roll with a bit of country spice. The guitar is always present, but never overbearing or braggadocious. The rhythm section lays it down hard, but never too hard. The ten song set is a masterclass in how to write fun simple songs in the style of Glory Days by Springsteen and the aforementioned Angie by The Stones. This is the way four chord rock and roll bands were meant to sound. I highly recommend Rocket Fuel Logic to fans of the late 70's rock bands like The Eagles, ELO and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. I think you will be thankful you found this great little rock and roll band!
Check out the interview below as well!
Tell us the brief history of your band or musical career.
The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio started in 2019 when I needed a band to play the songs from
“Long Beach Calling” live. I lucked out in getting Don Read on bass and Mike Levin on drums –
we found out pretty quickly that we really have a lot of musical chemistry going on. We captured
that chemistry on last year’s release “The Long Haul”. That record got much positive praise and
I wanted to keep the momentum going. So we devised a plan to do “definitive” versions of some
of my earlier songs that we do live. Give them the “Electric Trio” treatment as it were. That’s
how “Rocket Fuel Logic” (RFL) came about.
What album has had the greatest impact on your life as a musician?
Here are a few:
Beatles – “Revolver”
Rolling Stones – “Exile on Main Street”
Neil Young – “Harvest”
Bob Dylan – “Highway 61 Revisited”
Springsteen – “Darkness on the Edge of Town”
Clash – “London Calling”
Lucinda Williams – “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road”
Drive By Truckers – “Decoration Day”
John Hiatt – “Bring the Family”
Todd Snider – “The Devil You Know”
Old 97s – “Fight Songs”….
Richard and Linda Thompson – “Shoot Out The Lights”
(really could go on forever with this … too many to include)
Is there a particular song that has resonated with you for a long time?
A few examples come to mind:
Jason Isbell – “Elephant”
Lori McKenna – “Halfway Home”
Chris Stapleton – “Parachutes”
U2 – “One”
Warren Zevon – “Keep me in your heart”
(Again, this really could go on forever with this … too many to include)
How does your latest album differ from any of your others in the past?
We went through “The Long Haul” recording only last year so we carried that experience with us
for this one. RFL was easier to do – the parts were recorded better and the mixing went more
smoothly.
What do you like most about your new album?
We were able to get definitive versions of some of my earlier songs – because these songs are
GREAT! And they demand to be heard!!! ☺
How has your music changed over the years?
I guess what’s been changing is trying to get to the point of the song more efficiently and try to
come at song content at a different, fresher angle….
What inspires you to write the music you write?
Hearing great songs inspires me to want to write great songs. Trying to channel one’s
experiences and observations and getting a song out of that. I’m striving to write better songs –
universal songs that connect with people. Songs that resonate and are tied into all aspects of the
human condition. Good times, bad times, happiness, sadness, joy, regret, sorrow….
What strengths do you have that you believe make you the musician you are?
Hopefully, the ability to learn from ones mistakes. I feel I’m a better songwriter, performer,
engineer, producer than I was years ago … because I can learn from mistakes.
Do you have any anxiety about performing live?
Not really. I’m pretty comfortable with performing … whether doing solo acoustic gigs or band
gigs.
Describe your creative process when you write new music.
Usually, the chord pattern and melody pattern come out of jamming on the guitar – when I
realize that there’s a “song” there. After that, I come up with a title and lyrics. I spend a bit of
time thinking about what I’m trying to say in each particular song … and I consciously try to
think outside the box … to come up with a unique twist on a concept.
After that … it’s pages and pages of drafts….
And after that … I have to learn the damn thing! Hahahaha.
Give us some advice for new musicians just starting out in the industry.
Care about what you’re doing. Practice your art. Develop a level of confidence in your art where
what people say about it doesn’t matter. Appreciate those who support you.
What's next for your band?
I’m already working on the 2025 Mike Jacoby Electric Trio project – 11 songs tentatively titled
“Welcome to the Family”. And … I’m thinking of having the Electric Trio redo my Christmas
song “Hangers’ (a popular fan favorite) and getting that out as an Xmas release.
What are your interests outside of music?
I’ve been a distance runner for many, many years – I’ve run 3 marathons and countless half
marathons and 10ks. And I'm very slow … I don’t win any awards but I find it very relaxing.
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