Barrence Whitfield with Tom Russell

Hillbilly Voodoo

2013-11-13

Hillbilly Voodoo finds soul singer Barrence Whitfield teaming up with folk/Americana mainstay Tom Russell for a delightfully jangly set of country-tinged grooves. 4 of the 12 tracks are composed by Russell himself (including goofy standout "The Cuban Sandwich"), while the other 8 are covers written by an array of artists from Lucinda Williams to Arkansas legend Jimmy Driftwood, from a Van Morrison cut to a Dylan rework. No matter who wrote the tune, all the songs on Hillbillly Voodoo are performed with a lighthearted, funky, and occasionally silly storyteller perspective born of Whitfield and Russell's chemistry; Whitfield's voice warbles charismatically above the music, and Russell's omnipresent guitar work offers a substantial backbone for the album. While some of the rehashes are lukewarm (notably "Mississippi You're On My Mind"), songs like "Ice Water" and "Cleaning Windows" offer a fresh and colorful spin on songs from ages past.

Recommended Tracks: #2 "The Cuban Sandwich", #7 "Ice Water", #12 "Cleaning Windows"

Sigmund Steiger 

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Rock

  • reviewed 10/2008

    SMILE SMILE
    Blue Roses

  • reviewed 10/2011

    THE MINOR PROFITS
    Distant Radio

  • reviewed 05/2011

    LEVON HELM
    RAMBLE AT THE RYMAN

  • reviewed 03/2007

    Air
    Pocket Symphony

  • reviewed 10/2006

    PERSEPHONE'S BEES
    Notes From The Underworld

  • reviewed 10/2008

    Ben Folds
    - Way to Normal

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.