Heavily influenced by Cheap Trick, major-label refugees Hunk return with their second album after more than a quarter of a century. Yes, Hunk was signed to Geffen Records and released a self-titled debut album in the mid-1990s. That album featured a cartoon image of a wearied middle-aged man on the cover, staring at his much-better-looking reflection in the bathroom mirror. On Hunk II, that man has a potbelly, thinning hair and a Santa Claus beard. Fortunately, Hunk sounds less worse for wear than the band’s cover character looks.
Hunk was, more or less, a post-grunge Nineties band the first time around; now, these four guys come across sounding like Cheap Trick and Pump-era Aerosmith. No surprise, given that Hunk II was mixed by Jack Douglas and Jay Messina -- who have worked with both of those bands. Robin Zander even arranged standout track “Can’t Get You” with the band (and the song would have fit nicely on Cheap Trick’s One on One album). But there’s a serious edge here, too. Just listen to “Forgive Me God,” on which the band faces the hard realities of addiction and pain.
These songs are driven by propulsive power-pop hooks and harmonies (all four band members sing) that will hang around your brain for a while and make you wish these guys would have rekindled their musical energy a little sooner than 2023. But better late than never.
Track Listing:
1. Clouds
2. Lost It All Today
3. Forgive Me God
4. Can’t Get You
5. Why Don’t We Talk Anymore?
6. Twisting the Prize
7. Dying
8. Start Over
9. Protect Your Love
10. Sunset Neighbor
11. Lost At Sea
12. Just Give Me a Reason (To Stay)
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