Hooks & The Huckleberries take inspiration from life in NM on new album
Jemez. It鈥檚 a magical place in New Mexico.
It鈥檚 also an area which inspired Adam Hooks.
This is exactly why Hooks & The Huckleberries released the first single, 鈥淛emez,鈥� from its upcoming album.
鈥淛emez has always been a special place for me and other members of the band,鈥� Hooks says. 鈥淏eing able to write about it has been special.鈥�
The single is released to streaming platforms and the video will be released on YouTube on Thursday, July 27. It was recorded to The Echo Lab in Denton, Texas.
The studio is where the band also worked on its upcoming album, 鈥淔or the Love of Whatever.鈥�
鈥淲e spent 10 days straight in the studio doing 12-hour days,鈥� Hooks says. 鈥淭he entire album was recorded live in the studio.鈥�
The band worked with producer Matt Pence, who was instrumental in helping the band find its true self and sound on the album.
鈥淲e had about 12 or 13 songs that we had prepared for the studio,鈥� he says. 鈥淭en originals made the album. With Matt鈥檚 help, we were able to find those special moments in the studio. We also ended up doing a super fun and beautiful cover song, which will be revealed when the album is released.鈥�
The band will release the album later this year and is working on an exact date.
While Hooks is the frontman, he鈥檚 joined on stage by Joshua Lee on guitar. Dustin Hoag is on drums and Ryan Martino is on bass.
鈥淚 put all my eggs in this basket,鈥� Hooks says. 鈥淭he music business is so different and social media plays an important role. It鈥檚 been a learning process for us. Dustin and Josh spend a lot of time figuring out the different factions of how often to post a TikTok video versus and Instagram post.鈥�
Hooks says working on the new album put into perspective where the band is as a whole.
He says there鈥檚 growth in not only the musicianship, but the lyrics.
鈥淲e write about what鈥檚 going on in our lives,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what relates to us, and we鈥檙e hoping that it relates to others finding our music. I hope the music is relevant to people.鈥�
Hooks has written songs since he was a child, as he was often inspired by his father, who was a Lutheran pastor.
鈥淭he first songs were my attempt at writing hymns,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 now at a point in my life where the stories of my own experiences are finally important enough to write about. The songs I wrote when I was younger were missing life experience. All the songs on this new record are full of heartbreak, loss and love. All those emotions.鈥�
Hooks says one of the songs on the album was written about a close friend that died by suicide over a year ago.
鈥淚t was one of the most devastating losses in my life,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 still think of this person on a daily basis. It鈥檚 a very intense, honest and personal song. Recording it was difficult because I鈥檇 get to a certain part and burst into tears. In the end, the producer just went with the first take 鈥� tears and all. I鈥檝e talked to this friend鈥檚 parents to ask if it would be okay to release the song as a single. They were super gracious and told me to release it as it would help to bring awareness to mental health and suicide.鈥�
The band鈥檚 next single will be released on Aug. 16
