".Check out their delicious brand of grits and gravy! This is roadhouse music at its most fiery, guaranteed to get the crowd really rolling." -- Chronogram
_________________________________________________________________ A solid union of rockers raised on both sides
of the Mason-Dixon, Voodelic stirs together timeless soul-soaked R&B and funk, brain-warping sychedelia,
and flat-out hard rock.
The quintet of vocalist Little Earl, keyboardist Ross Rice, bassist Colin Almquist, guitarist Eric Cartwright, and drummer Dan Cartwright got its start in the backwoods of Palenville, New York, in 2003, and thanks to its high-energy live shows,
is currently one of the region's most rabidly exalted club acts. With its deep and timeless classic rock-and blues-grounded sound, Voodelic is refreshingly at odds with most newer bands: The group's 2010 debut, Conjure, brims with impossibly funky testimonials, bludgeoning sledgehammer jams,
and topical tunes that move the mind as well as the feet. But, as undeniably addictive and full-sounding the album is, it's still the stage where Voodelic's spell lives largest.
The spectacle of wild-eyed and blues-wailin' barefoot shaman Little Earl, bouncing like a juiced-up Rasputin as Rice's funky synths and gospel swells
and the righteous ramalama of Almquist and the Cartwright brothers fill the room with merciless grooves is enough to turn hypnotized dancers
into quivering puddles of sweat.
"No one leaves a Voodelic show dry," raves Jimmy Buff, program director of Woodstock's WDST-FM. "You just have to move!" ____________________________________________
"Voodelic is one funky band! Earl puts together a great show with passion, performance and professionalism. When I booked them at the Joyous Lake in Woodstock, I could count on Voodelic to pack the place with surefire, non-stop dancing fun!" -- Janet Morra
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"It takes a special band to crack the line-up of WDST, and Voodelic is that and more. That's the recorded side of things – in terms of live bands in the Hudson Valley, you won't find one more capable of delivery a rip-your-ears-off/kick-your-ass performance than Tha Voo. Listen to their new record Conjure and then make sure you see them live."
-- Jimmy Buff, program director, Radio Woodstock 100.1, WDST
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Palenville-based and proud, Voodelic has been a staple of the local scene since 2004, and recently raised the bar with the addition of local light Ross Rice, a keyboard veteran who has put in his time
in Memphis, playing with the greats and having hits with the band Human Radio. Other members include Colin Almquist (bass), Dan Cartwright (drums), Eric Cartwright (guitar), and Mississippi native "Little" Earl Lundy on vocals.
You can be sure a dead chicken was swung over these tracks, as Voodelic surely lives up to its name with this dark and delicious fare. This North-meets-South scenario simply cooks on high heat, and a spicy funk/gospel/soul stew emerges, all played with an underlying rock stance. On the funky, clavinet-and-organ-powered "Dark Times," Lundy sings, "I won't rely on a rich man's justice." There's palpable pathos in his tone with the anxious "Voices," in which he wails, "There's voices in my head I can't control"—and you believe him. "Suppose" has an urgent urban vibe, while a bubbling bass prods "Blasphemers" and its false prophets. All the elements come together in the big closer, "Tha Voo."
The musicianship and tunes here are top-notch, the arrangements are razor-sharp, and the production is vibrant and alive, as Voodelic finally comes into its own and heads skyward. CD Review: Voodelic
by David Malachowski, January 26, 2010 - Chronogram
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