The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio - Rocket Fuel Logic (2024)

With Rocket Fuel Logic, The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio are back with their second album of Americana flavored rock and roll, and it has better songwriting, more hooks and better vocals than last year's debut, The Long Haul. 

Leader Mike Jacoby says he is mostly inspired by classic rock, but you can hear more recent influences all over this fine ten song set, especially Old 97s on the opening track, "There Oughta Be A Law." The band's new rocking record includes a variety of subjects, and even when Jacoby works with that timeless and mostly overused and abused topic of male-female relationships he adds a unique spin to his songs.

In most cases lyrics are important to a song, but your "sound" has to resonate with me first. If it doesn't, it won't matter how good your storytelling is because I won't be listening. Lead singer and guitarist Jacoby, bassist Dan Read and drummer Mike Levin play vibrant rock that easily connects, so I'm quite willing to dig deeper.

On "Stomp the Gas" Jacoby is lecturing the stereotypical loser living in Mom and Pop's basement "You’re a big time downer with an attitude, calling everything “cool,” calling everyone “dude.” You better fast figure out something better to do cause hanging around ain’t working for you."  The lecture continues in a later verse. "You’re couch potatoed with the “bored” disease. You have more excuses than a dog has fleas. Now, here’s a question that you ain’t heard yet, how many last chances do you think you get?"

Jacoby offers a unique take on divorce on "Your Love Song" and "Explaining to Do" is about a couple who love each other yet they each stray during a wild night, and the cops are called in to quell a really bad fight.

These songs are just a few of the tracks that discuss how life has let the protagonist down and maybe how he is at least partially responsible for his predicament. On the fitting album closer, "Try," Jacoby advises the listener to "Try even harder, Hey - Try pushing through, Hey - Try all around us, Hey - Try I love you."  He's letting us know all is not lost if you're willing to put forth a little effort.

Rocket Fuel Logic proves rock is not dead. It's a very good record with a vintage sound, a touch of country and timeless sentiments that Jacoby easily expresses through his songs.

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