**1/2 Jake

HOOKED

(Blackbird/Elektra)

Jake lead singer Jessie Lee Montague's years of desperate homelessness might account for much of the raw emotion she shows on Hooked, this New York-via-Wisconsin trio's debut CD, which is powered by Montague's songwriting (whimsy without sappiness) and her resounding, lusty voice. These elements are complemented by the soul and funk chops of percussionist Jagoda and bass player Johnny Riggs. The folksy title track and the beat-laden, Dave Matthews-ish "Monkey" are the album's most accomplished pieces: Montague's vocal highs and lows tease the pulse of her guitar while Jagoda's bongos supply the beat.

-- Jonathan Vena