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VOODOO MOONSHINE Bottom Of The Barrel By Terry Martinson, Contributor Tuesday, February 6, 2024 @ 11:38 AM
This peacocking aside, please allow me the distinct pleasure of introducing you to a little ole rock n' roll band buried deep in the Everglades of Florida, VOODOO MOONSHINE and their debut longplay Bottom of The Barrel. The band has been kicking about for a hot minute, 2003 to be precise by lead guitarist, Jeff Losawyer and have had a sample sized taste of positive affirmations from their 2005 debut Decade of Decay that landed them in RIP magazine. The band, like so many before them faded into obscurity, but Jeff still held the fire and with the help of new vocalist Pedro Espada, VOODOO MOONSHINE was reborn in 2018. With this long play dropping 2022 and a little teaser, new music is afoot as I type and I do not think those inclined to give a look and listen will be disappointed in the least.
As you may have noticed from the band photo and album cover, the band is, to quote the Godfather of Rock in LA Bill Gazzarri, "they are sexy sexy dudes". They certainly are, and for 2024 I may add, look like they just stepped off the Greyhound bus to be bedazzled by the tinsel town lights of LA's Sunset Strip. The music we are about to traverse certainly takes this guy back to those doe eyed days, when life was as pure and simple as a February snow. Where the ladies we tried to get to know did our make up (because the key to meeting those lovelies was to look just like them), loaned us clothes and thank the stars, kept our bellies filled with food and adult beverages.
The album commences with a reboot of sorts of the song "Locked And Loaded" (video HERE), which appeared on their debut and to say this song should get your attention is a drastic understatement. This song is a sleazy, hard rock number, dripping with swagger and 80's strip substance. Sounding simultaneously like an amalgamation of every 80's hard rock band, but none of them at the same time, "Locked And Loaded" is a rump kicker and shaker with a solid chorus and Jeff certainly lets us know that he is a proficient hard rock guitarist. And I am sure I will say this a couple more times, but Pedro's voice, shut the front door, the guy is so very powerful, soulful and period perfect and clean, oh dear. Pretty special. "Give It To Me" continues the theme and as I tuck into this one I hear a heavy dose of BAD COMPANY, it is probably in the boogie woogie shuffle of the song and Pedro's vocals. Of course take that BAD COMPANY reference and toss in an equal part of the BULLETBOYS, SKID ROW, TORA TORA, SALTY DOG, THE SEA HAGS, and 400 others. Great song this one. "Bring It Down" downshifts a bit, still a rock n roller, but this one has a lot more SWEET FA, BULLETBOYS swagger to it, definitely get those hips moving and I rather enjoy the long sustaining power chords that hold the rhythm down while Pedro and company harmonize all over the top screaming "Oh my god, your so dirty!" Extra credit goes to the solo and the accompanying "oooh ooh ah ooh's" muttered over the top. This is a greasy track and is definitely a keeper. "Round And Round" slows us way down with a dum backed arena rocking, cigarette lighter ballad with that atypical call out to a lost love. Not a bad song and is reminiscent in its production to GUNS N' ROSES' "Patience" if Matthew and Gunner Nelson covered it, yep Pedro and the others harmonies are that good. The solo is nice with its slide solo overlaid with a fine example of a Slash-ish solo on top. I could definitely see the music video back in '88 for this one. "Sometimes You Just Wanna" is awesome. Slips right in all funky and sleazy, very reminiscent of early EXTREME and again SWEET FA. This one is absolutely what was required back in the day and would have earned the album its Parental Guidance advisory sticker, cuz "Sometimes you just want to F@&k".
So in conclusion, VOODOO MOONSHINE, they are a real solid band. I don't see anyone that longs for those nostalgic halcyon days in the mid to late 80's not spinning Bottom of the Barrel liberally and numerously, and of the utmost importance enjoying the hell out of it.
3.8 Out Of 5.0
https://www.facebook.com/voodoomoonshine
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