The Voodoo Trombone Quartet : .Again
The Voodoo Trombone Quartet : .Again
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Thursday, 02, Jul 2009 10:30
Freshly Squeezed Music, out June 29th.
In a nutshell...
Ska-infected, reggae-inflected Carribean voodoo madness
What's it all about?
The debut album from this oddly-named group of ska revivalists.
Who's it by?
Before they made this album, the 8-piece band that is now Voodoo Trombone Quartet was essentially made up of one man - Paul Thorpe. A multi-instrumentalist and possibly a bit of a mentalist, he posted several tracks on the internet for free, pretending they were re-discovered reggae originals. Such was the popularity of these songs that he soon set out to gather a band around him and record a full album. .Again is the result.
As an example...
"Hey you, the rocksteady crew/Show me what you do/Do a break, make a move."
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
These tunes are infectious enough, but award judges are likely to stick them in the deeply unfashionable category of white-boy ska, which hasn't been cool since the heyday of Madness or UB40. Without major label support I'd say it's unlikely to garner much Grammy attention. Shame.
What the others say
"I think the best way to describe this album is like a chocolate spread and piccalilli sandwich. It doesn't really seem too sure of what it is. One flavour you like, one you are not too sure of. Is it quite funky electronic music, or is it a lightweight attempt at ska?" - Pablo Roffey, Contact Music
"Essentially the Quartet, who were formed as a joke band, are the classic festival act and will no doubt succeed in getting many a sceptical afternoon crowd up on their feet and in the mood for fun." - The Music Fix
So is it any good?
Despite the unfashionable nature of a load of white boys cranking out reggae without a hint of irony, you cannot help but get these tunes stuck in your head. They're infectious in the way that only Ska can be and will inveigle their way into your affections before you notice it. Their cover of Hey You the Rocksteady Crew does the original no disservice, and their orignials range nicely between cheesy bouncing reggae and dub-inflected slower songs. Not ground-breaking, or incredibly original, but great fun in a silly kind of way. And in a year where the Specials have reformed an rocked Glastonbury, you wouldn't bet against these boys getting a couple of festival crowds going.
6/10
Tristan Kennedy