THE WATZLOVES
Rockin' Country Gumbo (Voodoo Rhythm)
Reviewed by Alan Wright

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This label puts out the most interesting and diverse music! From psychobilly to surf to retro '60s style garage rock to country blues music. The Watzloves are a band featuring Deutschmark Bob of DM Bob and the Deficits - a great Hounddog Taylor inspired trashy blues-garage rock band - but this is quite different. It's a sort of mix (hence the CD title I 'spose) of country, zydeco, calypso and New Orleans jazz. Silky Toss plays accordion and does the lead singing, Bob (who actually hails from Louisiana, though he lives in Germany now) sings backing vocals and plays guitar, washboard, and drums, and Jakebus plays slide guitar, tuba, and sings backing vocals too. There's an obvious strong Cajun music feel, and I'm not a huge Zydeco fan but this is pretty cool stuff. The songs are all neat little stories, and the playing by all is excellent. There's a twisted sense of humor permeating it with songs like "You Are The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly" (a Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynne duet cover), "Voodoo Queen" and "You Are So Strange," but not enough to make it simply a novelty act. "Go Away Now" is my favorite song overall, a super-catchy little number with a rockin' beat. Fun stuff here.

[Pick this up at www.voodoorhythm.com .]

© 2003 - Alan Wright