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VOODOO BLOO: ‘The Blessed Ghost’

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Plastic Groove

Out Now

Words by Coco Le Sex Bomb

Coming in hot from their debut album Jacobus, we get a taste of what New Zealand’s finest young artists in Voodoo Bloo have been conjuring up with The Blessed Ghost.

The Blessed Ghost goes through all the trials and tribulations of any great coming of age story, and you
can tell the band has put it all out there for the world to see, a feat that few are brave enough to do and even fewer do well.

The intro track Blessed Ghost (Younger Then) sets up the album perfectly, beginning with Rory
unloading the many things on his mind the day before his birthday over a recorded message. An intro
worth listening to in full as you are greeted with a short but sweet serenade that caught me by surprise.

With its 50’s love song phrasing and masterful writing of hooks, I too am hooked.

Out of the sweet ballad comes the driving force and angst of Pursuit. It is a moody but rocky track, taking you into second gear on the journey that is The Blessed Ghost.

We’re Here, Love Is Somewhere was released a short while ago giving old fans and new a taste of the new direction being taken by Voodoo Bloo, and in my opinion it is a welcome one! Keeping to their roots yet evolving and maturing, this album shows how much the band has grown both through emotion and sheer writing prowess.

Rhubarb Custard only solidifies this as a dreary yet enchanting lullaby for any and all who need it and is
definitely a track worth the listen. I can see it being one that slips under the radar, but the lyricism and self-destructive storytelling will make it a favourite blip once found.

Don’t get too relaxed as Default, the most recent single is next on the bill and the Bloo boys turn up
the dial on this track reminding us of the fast-paced rocking roots that got us hooked in the first place. I
can’t help but think of driving through the city at night while this track is playing, with visions of streetlights and concrete tunnels flashing past my closed eyes…

We hit the halfway mark with Skin, another single released earlier this year and with driving synth and bass tones, creepy themes and sleazy breakdowns, it has something for everyone! A no-brainer when it comes to a single and a well received one it was.

The synth vibes don’t stop with Skin. Asterisk pulls the pace right back in the toughest way then
sweetens up during the choruses, only to darken up again towards the end, leaving you wondering what’s next.

What’s next is Tomorrow Person. Peeling away the layers and stepping away from the saturation you get a more pure, bare bones sound as if you are in the practice room for this rock ballad I can see being the next favorite pick with the masses.

Ritalin turns yet another corner on this Blessed winding adventure progressively jumping from chilled to fast to heavy and everywhere in between in all its manic beauty, it takes you from surprise to delight in a clever display of how scary the mind can be.

With a strong beginning and middle, we enter the finale phase of the album with Small – the first single and a perfect anthem to take us into the last leg of this epic tale. If you can listen to this track without tapping along or bopping your head, you are a stronger person than I. Trust me, it is no small feat to write a banger such as this.

In a classic rock reprise we get Part 2 of The Blessed Ghost (Older Now) which is another sweet acoustic bookend that builds and grows as all the cards are laid out on the table beside the hooks and melodies that at this point you have grown to love.

Continuing the stimulation is Continuous Stimulus, a final cherry atop this ghostly sweet treat. It lulls you with a false sense that it will be a quiet, calm end to the story, then explodes as the band give us one last taste of beautiful distortion.

A fitting farewell and a job very well done.

The Blessed Ghost is out now anywhere you find good tunes!

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