In a world where entertainment is based more on one's ability to garner clicks than it is to display any actual talent after achieving such attentions, it is as rare as lobster chins to find any acts in the music world who both know how to remind us of the past while, at the same time, brightening up our hopes with a promising future.
Then again, those with such concerns have likely overlooked one of the most entertaining bands of the party rock genre, Voodoo Moonshine.
The voodoo, done well
Comprised of Pedro Espada on vocals, the ever-shredding Jeff Losawyer on guitars, Hector Acevedo driving the bass, and Eddie Cruise rocking the drums with just enough reverb to harken back to 1986, Voodoo Moonshine in no way offer only a look back, but also, they give us a glimpse into what tomorrow's rock music should sound like.
Many fans of gritty soundscapes have already discovered the joy found in songs such as "Locked And Loaded" and "Bring It Down," both tracks unleashed upon the masses within the last year, but now with their newest video, "Give It To Me," Voodoo Moonshine really show what hard rock mixed with a 90 Proof shot of magic sounds like.
Musically, Voodoo Moonshine offers a mix of sounds that are already quite established in the minds of the rock 'n' roll community. It isn't that the band reinvents the wheel, they simply make the ride a lot more smooth.
For example, an astute listener will hear hints of Kix or even Kingdom Come in both the riffs and vocal delivery of Voodoo Moonshine, yet the sonic assault also has hints of deeper moods and purposes on the guitar solos and via a rather busy and active bass performance.
Working a different magic
Much of the more modern and current atmospheres are achieved largely by way of production. Some textures, like the aforementioned drum reverb, are "expected" in these dirtier genres, but a lot of that attack can be lost if the resulting CD sounds as though it was trapped in the technology of 1983, a result that Voodoo Moonshine craftily avoids.
Visually, as seen in their video "Locked And Loaded," Voodoo Moonshine certainly sports headbands, skull-laden black pants, and a love for accessories, but they are not sporting big hair and lipstick. Rather, the band has an Aerosmith meets modern-era Faster Pussycat look, more rooted in a stern wagger than prancing in high-heeled boots.
In terms of the lyrics, while not surprisingly getting an R-rating from time to time, it is clear that every member of Voodoo Moonshine is about taking their own road to the top and they are not about to ask anyone's permission or opinion as they do so.
So, is the world ready for a shot or two of Voodoo Moonshine? While anyone looking at the charts would venture to say "no," let it also be remembered that the movie "The Dirt" about Mötley Crüe has created a whole world full of rock music fans, much like "Guitar Hero" did to a whole generation ten years ago.
Furthermore, bands like Def Leppard are seeing strong interest and continue to tour stadiums on a regular basis. That could easily usher in the need for bands who have the same character to again flourish, and if so, Voodoo Moonshine is more than ready to work their magic.
