Jack J Hutchinson

Jack J Hutchinson returns with ‘Rise Again’, the second single to be taken from his forthcoming solo album ‘Soul Believer’, due for release on Friday, January 22, 2027 and available to pre-order now.

You have your new album ‘Soul Believer’ released in 2027. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

I was keen to not simply repeat my last album ‘Battles’. As an artist I always want to evolve, try new things and write about new life experiences. I had some big singles off the last album that got a fair bit of radio play like ‘Bullets’, but with this one I wanted to capture a broader range of my influences. There are still heavy rock songs on there, but at least half of the record is more soulful and introspective material that showcases my love of artists like Neil Young, Paul Weller and Richard Ashcroft. The songs are still heavy… but more in terms of the themes I am dealing with.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

The album was recorded with Josiah J Manning at Momentum Studios in Plymouth. He produced my last album, but early on in the process for the new one we had some pretty deep conversations about the change in direction, creating a much richer sound and pushing my songwriting in ways I hadn’t done previously.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

Well, I actually scrapped some of the material I wrote at the start of the sessions! It wasn’t perhaps the best move financially, but I just felt the 3 songs I initially worked on weren’t honest to who I am as a musician. It’s funny, because I think I knew in my gut that those first tracks weren’t cutting it. So I halted proceedings, went away and wrote a brand new batch of maybe 15 songs over the next 3 months, before heading back into the studio in April of this year. It all flowed pretty quickly from there.

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

I actually changed the guitar that I wrote the material on. I’ve always written on my Epiphone J-200 acoustic, but this was the first album where I demoed songs primarily on electric guitars. I played a Johnny Marr signature Fender Jaguar in Guitar Village in Farnham, and then bought an American Professional Jag. About half the album was written on that, and the rest on my Epiphone Riviera. I picked that up after meeting Steve Cradock from Paul Weller’s band back stage earlier this year. We mainly had a chat about our love of Meanforme shoes…but also about guitars. After that conversation I just had to get one! 

Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

I think most of my songs are inherently happy. Even though they may have quite dark lyrics, often the choruses offer a kind of bright relief – a message that everything is going to be ok in the end. That being said, the happiest song on the album is ‘Shine A Light’, which I wrote whilst on tour with FM last year. The angriest track is probably ‘Outta The Fire’. That one kind of stands out amongst the rest of the tunes as it is so heavy. There are a couple of really reflective songs that deal with loss, including ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Buried In The Hail’.

Who were the musicians who were on the album with you?

It’s quite a mix! The bulk of the instruments were played by myself and the producer Josiah, who can play just about everything! The majority of the drums were played by Billy Hammett who played them on my last album too. Phil Wlison plays drums on 2 tracks, whilst Greg Smith plays bass on it too.

Does the album’s title have a specific meaning/significance?

I was reading PP Arnold’s biography ‘Soul Survivor’ and tried to come up with something that was a riff on that. I guess the aim was to write an album that was more soulful, spiritual and honest to who I am as a human being and how I can grow as a person. I genuinely ‘believe’ we should all be doing that… the world would certainly be in a much better place if we did.

Was it a difficult album to write?

As I mentioned, it initially was. For the first time in my career I was perhaps ‘forcing’ the songs. What I’ve learnt is that you can’t go searching for the muse – if the magic isn’t there, go off and do something else. During the process of recording it I actually took up long distance running! It’s been a great way of clearing the head and allowing the music to find me.

Who designed the album artwork?

The album cover is a photograph taken by my friend Rob Blackham at Hartfield Hub Studios in Wimbledon. I went to art college round the corner from there about 20 years ago, so it was good to be back. It’s funny because I took about 10 different outfits with me that are perhaps more ‘rock’ gear. The parka I’m wearing in the photo is what I wear to go and do my weekly shop…! I’d just been wearing it on the drive down to the shoot. But Rob said it was more honest to who I am. So I just kept it on and we did the shoot in my everyday clothes. I was certainly more comfortable!

One of the tracks is the new single ‘Rise Again’. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

I wrote it in a soundcheck in Spain on tour! It was literally just a case of me noodling on my guitar trying to get the right sound from my amp, and then that’s what came out. I then wrote the ‘Hold on’ bits in the chorus in the studio a few weeks later with Josiah. It’s got a bit of a Foo Fighters vibe, which certainly wasn’t intentional. But it definitely works. It’s about being knocked down repeatedly but somehow finding the strength to get back up again and stand up for who you are.

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2026/2027?

I’m out on tour with Robin Trower supporting him on his UK tour. I’ve then got a few dates with FM and Focus, before doing my main headline tour in November and January. The album launch show is O2 Academy Islington on 21 January with a great Manchester band called Luna Marble as support. It feels like everything has been leading to those dates where we will be playing the new album pretty much in its entirety. I’m really excited about people hearing the tracks for the first time live. It’s going to be special for me and the band. 

Feature Image Photo Credit: Rob Blackham/Blackham Images

Jack J Hutchinson’s new single ‘Rise’ is out now. 

Listen/Stream Here: https://earache.lnk.to/RiseAgain

His new album ‘Soul Believer’ is released on Friday 22nd January 2027. 

Pre-Order Here: https://eyesoremerch.com/bands/j/jack-j-hutchinson/

9 August – Firevolt Festival, Manchester  
29 August – Rock The Peaks, Matlock  
31 August – The Fire Station, Sunderland (w/Robin Trower)  
1 September – The Queens Hall, Edinburgh (w/Robin Trower)  
3 September – Academy, Manchester (w/ Robin Trower)  
4 September – The Junction, Cambridge (w/ Robin Trower)  
5 September – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (w/ Robin Trower)  
11 September – Destination Forge, Sheffield  
13 September – HRH Blues, Sheffield  
20 September – Dover Booking Hall (w/ FM)
7 November – St Austell Band Club 
10 November – TNMC, Coulsdon (Special Guests Ross Harding Band)
11 November – The Louisiana, Bristol  
12 November – The Portland Arms, Cambridge  
17 November – Bannerman’s, Edinburgh  
18 November – The Castle Hotel, Manchester  
20 November – Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden  
22 November – Bush Hall, London (w/ Focus)  
6 December – Looe Blues Festival  
21 January – O2 Academy2 Islington (Album launch show) (Special Guests Luna Marble)
24 January – The Cluny 2, Newcastle 

Tickets: https://jackjhutchinsonmusic.com/2026/03/05/soul-believer-album-launch-tour/