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 12/1969

    JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 POUND UNIT
    JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 POUND UNIT

  • reviewed 04/2006

    The Concretes
    In Colour

  • reviewed 11/2009

    AFROSKULL
    To Obscurity and Beyond

  • reviewed 12/2008

    HONEYHONEY
    First Rodeo

  • reviewed 03/2005

    IVY
    In the Clear

  • reviewed 05/2011

    BEASTIE BOYS
    Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

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.