Band Spotlight: Black Joe Lewis

Who: Black Joe Lewis

What do they sound like: James Brown-influenced soul meets Howlin’ Wolf-esque guitar jams.

Why YOU Should Listen: Black Joe was recommended to me but, at first, I thought it was going to be a joke. I mean, he has a song called “Bitch, I Love You.” I mean, that would normally be reason enough for a listen but with an amazing Myspace wallpaper that featured Joe on a spaceship with some stripper-esque females, I just had to give it a lesson. Soon enough, “Sugarfoot” was blasting out of my speakers and I was convinced that Joe was the real deal and I was hooked.

There are some intense grooves, booming horns, some absurd rambling tunes, some guitar burners, songs about being flat-ass broke, songs about not remembering your girl’s name; what’s not to love here? The album is incredible and I feel like we’ll be seeing this man out and about a lot more. Even more so after this year’s SXSW wraps up, where he is playing about 18 times.

Black Joe Lewis and his band The Honeybears just released their debut album Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is! via Lost Highway Records. You can stream in on their Myspace and/or check out the video for “Sugarfoot” below. Scream it with me now…..BITCH….I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU.