Formed in England in the summer of 1986, the WitchDoktors have gigged all over the UK and Europe, and have even chalked up a five-year residency at the wonderful 12bar Club in Soho. So they’re well-travelled veterans.
They’ve recorded a dirty album of trashy, balls-to-the wall punk-garage rock ‘n’ roll, their fourth all up and their first since 2008’s acclaimed “3 Dollar Hooker”.
“Voodoo Eye” keeps you hooked, from the opening salvos of “No Pain No Gain” and the ever so English-sounding ‘70s “High Society” (think UK Subs) right up until the last notes of closiing song "Walk The Walk".
There’s a lot going on and much of it is down to Planet Andy (words of wisdom and guitar) and Tony “Big T” Major (Gibson and Gretsch guitars.) These guys have riffs dripping from the strings – and the rest of the band is pretty hot too. The bass and backing vocals of Zig are wonderful - his playing is full on – and Joe Colfar smashes his way around the kit like a madman.
I love this album – it’s bloody awesome – and you can hear where this band has got its inspiration from. Take the song “Mad Elaine”: It has a nice little T-Rex riff keeping it kicking along. Then there’s , “Double Down”, a surf instrumental that breaks from the punk and rock of the first five tracks. That leads to the wild rockabilly of “& Days and 7 Nights”. I nearly put a hole in the floor here at the farmhouse, stomping to this awesome track.
Just when you think it can’t get any better, well, think again. “New Set of Wheels” just rocks, In my humble opinion, this is the best song here and should be a single, smashing out of radios everywhere.
“Hanging On a Line” and “Tie Me Up” keep things rocking, garage-style, with more great riffs, Title track “Voodoo Eye” is a punk-blues grinder that’s “guitar fuelled chaos” (the band’s words.) I can only agree. Props to Dan Criscuolo who sits in with the band, playing some dirty slide guitar.
I've been playing this wonderful album for a week solid now and it just keeps giving.If you like your music dirty, trashy and with ‘60s garage mixed with ‘70s punk energy… fuelled by rock with riffs and rolls…”Voodoo Eye” is a “must listen”. Let the primitive fury and the jungle terror begin!
