Voodoo Ramble – In The Heart Of The City
Croatian band Voodoo Ramble have, with fourth album In The Heart Of The City, caught the rock and blues essence of what the band are all about; the result is their best album to date.
Nor does it hurt that frontman Boris Zamba (vocals, guitars, bass), Damir Šomen (drums), Neven Resnik (keys, guitars, bass), Ana Cakovic & Ana-Maria Ocvirk (backing vocals) are joined by a top trio of guest guitarists (Muddy Manninen, Mike Pini, Marcus Flynn) for a song apiece.
The album opens with the ZZ Topified riff and big-beat of the title track, which features a simple but highly effective call and answer hook chorus and a pulsing rhythm that doesn’t let go.
The lyric, by Pete Feenstra (who contributes to six of the ten songs) takes the listener to the neon lights of a city that never sleeps, and the seductive nature of those met there ("don’t know where its gonna end, will I end up as a lover or friend?").
Following number, 'Take You Home,' is an acoustic-electric Americana styled number that wouldn’t have been out of place on any of the early Doobie Brothers albums (special mention for the cool as a breeze middle 8 and the nifty guitar remarks that permeate the song).
The tempo slows for 'Midnight Ride,' a moody, bluesified number bolstered by some nice twin harmony guitar moments, great slide work from Muddy Manninen and a lyric about an illicit love affair ("we’ll make our escape on a midnight ride").
'I’m a Bluesman Baby' is a fun boogie that features some tasty back and forth soloing from Boris Zamba and Mick Pini, who is in his blues licks element.
Also flying the blues flag, in the shape of a contemporary swampy stomp, is '4000 Years Old,' which lyrically celebrates the Olive Tree of enduring love. The joyous, full-bodied slide guitar solo from Marcus Flynn is the six-string icing on the 4000 year old cake.
The blues truly comes calling on 'Don’t Leave Me 4 Good,' a horns backed, slow swaying cry to and ending relationship, where considered blues guitar licks compliment and answer each of Boris Zamba’s heartfelt, but never over-sung, vocal lines.
A strong slow blues offering, 'Don’t Leave Me 4 Good' would have been up for 'best track on the album' consideration if not for the disappointing and inexplicable fade-out just as Zamba is hitting his soloing stride.
The rock side of Voodoo Ramble returns with 'Walk Away,' a muscly mid-tempo that hearkens back to the likes of Free (there’s a definite echo of Paul Kossoff on the guitar licks, which is never a bad thing).
We’re back to the blues for the swinging shuffle of 'Cold Hearted Woman' (which comes complete with the almost mandatory call and response chorus shouts) and 'I Refuse (to Feel the Blues).'
The latter is a more traditional Dobro slide-stomp that’s not a million notes removed from 'Rollin’ and Tumblin’', albeit with a beefier rhythm and tough rock beat.
Closing number 'Addicted to the Rush' is an up-tempo rock boogie that musically parallels the lyrical observation that the world, and many of its inhabitants, are moving too fast to pause and take stock of where it’s all headed. As such, it acts as the perfect (and not unrelated) bookend to the opening title track.
Produced and mixed by Dragutin Smokrović, In The Heart Of The City, which has bags of commercial appeal, has the sound to go with its strong blues and rock credentials.
Ramble On, Voodoo lovers.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Nor does it hurt that frontman Boris Zamba (vocals, guitars, bass), Damir Šomen (drums), Neven Resnik (keys, guitars, bass), Ana Cakovic & Ana-Maria Ocvirk (backing vocals) are joined by a top trio of guest guitarists (Muddy Manninen, Mike Pini, Marcus Flynn) for a song apiece.
The album opens with the ZZ Topified riff and big-beat of the title track, which features a simple but highly effective call and answer hook chorus and a pulsing rhythm that doesn’t let go.
The lyric, by Pete Feenstra (who contributes to six of the ten songs) takes the listener to the neon lights of a city that never sleeps, and the seductive nature of those met there ("don’t know where its gonna end, will I end up as a lover or friend?").
Following number, 'Take You Home,' is an acoustic-electric Americana styled number that wouldn’t have been out of place on any of the early Doobie Brothers albums (special mention for the cool as a breeze middle 8 and the nifty guitar remarks that permeate the song).
The tempo slows for 'Midnight Ride,' a moody, bluesified number bolstered by some nice twin harmony guitar moments, great slide work from Muddy Manninen and a lyric about an illicit love affair ("we’ll make our escape on a midnight ride").
'I’m a Bluesman Baby' is a fun boogie that features some tasty back and forth soloing from Boris Zamba and Mick Pini, who is in his blues licks element.
Also flying the blues flag, in the shape of a contemporary swampy stomp, is '4000 Years Old,' which lyrically celebrates the Olive Tree of enduring love. The joyous, full-bodied slide guitar solo from Marcus Flynn is the six-string icing on the 4000 year old cake.
The blues truly comes calling on 'Don’t Leave Me 4 Good,' a horns backed, slow swaying cry to and ending relationship, where considered blues guitar licks compliment and answer each of Boris Zamba’s heartfelt, but never over-sung, vocal lines.
A strong slow blues offering, 'Don’t Leave Me 4 Good' would have been up for 'best track on the album' consideration if not for the disappointing and inexplicable fade-out just as Zamba is hitting his soloing stride.
The rock side of Voodoo Ramble returns with 'Walk Away,' a muscly mid-tempo that hearkens back to the likes of Free (there’s a definite echo of Paul Kossoff on the guitar licks, which is never a bad thing).
We’re back to the blues for the swinging shuffle of 'Cold Hearted Woman' (which comes complete with the almost mandatory call and response chorus shouts) and 'I Refuse (to Feel the Blues).'
The latter is a more traditional Dobro slide-stomp that’s not a million notes removed from 'Rollin’ and Tumblin’', albeit with a beefier rhythm and tough rock beat.
Closing number 'Addicted to the Rush' is an up-tempo rock boogie that musically parallels the lyrical observation that the world, and many of its inhabitants, are moving too fast to pause and take stock of where it’s all headed. As such, it acts as the perfect (and not unrelated) bookend to the opening title track.
Produced and mixed by Dragutin Smokrović, In The Heart Of The City, which has bags of commercial appeal, has the sound to go with its strong blues and rock credentials.
Ramble On, Voodoo lovers.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ