| CD REVIEW Stuck Mojo |
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Band : Stuck Mojo Originally, our editor-in-chief had intended this album to be reviewed by one of the collegues, but as that guy’s to-do list was getting a bit too big, he handed the job over to me…as if I didn’t already have enough on my plate…but all things considered I now have to admit to feeling a deep gratitude for the way things came out! Like so many other people, I had already heard about this somewhat weird Rap Metal act in the latter days of the ‘90s (the band released its debut album Snappin’ Necks in 1995, then went on to release 1996’s Pigwalk and 1998’s Rising – which even went to the #48 position in the Billboard album charts – and came out with their first live album HVY1 in 1999), but I was quite wrong in thinking that I’d already added one of those albums to my personal collection! Then, in 2000, the band (consisting of rapper Bonz, guitarist Rich Ward, bassist Dan Dryden and drummer Frank Fontseré) recorded and released their last studio album Declaration Of A Headhunter before splitting up! Bonz started 420 Monks, the others formed Fozzy with professional wrestler Chris Jericho (Ward would even venture further with Dryden and Fontseré by starting up Sick Speed and The Duke, bands for which he also took over lead vocals). However, to prevent Century Media from having rights over any future recorded material, Ward returned to the studio to record two songs from his arsenal of unused material to add these to a collection of B-sides and rarities for the 2001 album Violate This. That would’ve been it, really, if it wasn’t for fans letting off over time to ask for new material. Ward first gave in by collaborating in the compilation of the comprehensive DVD Inside The Monster: the Evilution Of Stuck Mojo…and then in 2005 the band reformed with Bonz, Fontseré and Ward back together, Dryden replaced by new bassist Sean Delson…a reunion which wouldn’t last long, as Bonz’ aggression and drug abuse rekindled the friction there’d been before. Long enough however to record the album Southern Born Killers (with longtime producer Andy Sneap at the console), which included a guest appearance by current singer Lord Nelson. By then Fontseré had already been replaced by drummer Rodney Beaubouef (of Dead Gospel). The Southern Born Killers album was made available(downloadable for free with voice-overs by Ward; if purchased they would be free of such intro) through the band’s MySpace page in January 2007. The line-up was augmented later that year by the addition of second guitarist Mike Martin (a Blues guitarist whom used to play in Agent Cooper with Delson), and with Beaubouef leaving the band in early 2008, the others recruited drummer Steve Underwood (previously of Sandfrog) as replacement for the February 2008 UK tour with Ektomorf. Prior to that, in October 2007, the band had signed to Napalm Records, who first re-released the Southern Born Killers album on February 29 with 3 bonus tracks (review of which by collegue Eric, posted 25/03/2008)! The new album can (according to an interview I read) best be described stylistically as a mix of everything Ward would previously put in his separate projects, and it therefore not ssurprising that the couple of reviews I’ve already read have hailed the new record as one of the most diverse Stuck Mojo albums ever! Well, the diversity ain’t really surprising when you think of the different backgrounds of each member (the drummer’s real technical, the bassist is into the ‘70s Prog Rock bands, the second guitarist’s into Blues, the lead singer is into Hiphop and rap, and Ward is the glue that binds everything together with his Hard Rock roots). Back in a guesting role (shared lead on “Friends”, the short sharp “The Fear” – including some psychotic laughing by Nelson –and “Superstar Part 1 (The Journey Begins)”, plus backing vocals during “Invincible”) is Christy Cook, a truly soulful singer which could already be heard on Southern Born Killers and whom accompanied TheDukeas backing singer during their UK tour…and lifts the songs she sings on to a completely different level. Now how does one properly describe such a diversity? First of all, I feel it’s important to emphasize that you’re not gonna get rapping àll of the time, and Lord Nelson has a truly warm voice when used in clean mode! There’s a couple of rather aggressive songs like “The Flood” (Lord Nelson acting off some frustrations about his wife, the music alternatingly very groovily Doomy with Nelson also bringing his most aggressive vocals…and in the same song going zen with some Japanese sitar played at the beginning and towards the ending of the song) and “The Fear” which (according to the reviews I’ve already read, of course, because I hàve no foreknowledge of the band’s previous albums) is in a direct line with the band’s Metal past, but also moments where Country influences come trough with some nice steel and slide guitar…which comes forward most prominently in the very successful cover of John Denver’s “Country Roads”. Successful, I daresay, because for the most part you won’t even recognize it, thus has the band turned it over to their own style! There’s also a couple of weird additions with the 58-second “There’s A Doctor In Town” and “There’s A Miracle Comin’” (including an instrumental passage from “Country Roads” on the steel guitar, by the way),whichseemlike samples taken from an exhalted congregation led by one of those phoney priests which were so abundant a couple of decades ago (well, actually…back in the Southeast US where the band comes from, churches apparently still hold big outdoors revivals in huge tents – the album’s title has little to do that, rather with the strong sense of respect, friendship and family which the band now has in their common goal and vision…something they’d never had before)! In a way, album opening track “Worshipping A False God” and actual opening song “15 Minutes Of Fame” seem related to the two-part album closing Superstar, all relating to people doing just about anything in their pursuit for stardom. Interesting little detail, is that the music and the actual songs were built from influences taken from the initial Rap sessions Nelson did for the album! The problem with this album is, that to get a good idea of what it sounds like, you would probably best have to listen to it as a whole! Regretfully, you’ll only find an mp3-file for “Now that You’re Alone” (the rest of the 5 songs postedculled from Southern Born Killers)…so maybe you’ll have to go to the record store to get a better grip on the band’s new material. The thing is, the songs on the album (and I make no exception what-so-ever) tend to settle in your mind from the first listening session, and once you’ve heard the album, you’ll probably wanna hàve it…so don’t you come tell afterwards that I didn’t warn you about the addictive influence of The Great Revival! I mean, it’s here in written language, isn’t it? As mentioned in the first paragraph, I’m grateful for circumstances delivering this album onto my person! I’d yell “halleluyah” or stuff like that if I believed in divine intervention…but then I don’t! Isn’t there a passage in the New Testament that says “God helps those who help themselves,” and doesn’t that really mean that, when push comes to shove, we really stand in front of what comes to us on our own? Bloody h…sorry guys, didn’t mean to get theological on you! Just know that The Great Revival deserves its place in MY year-lists with ease, and from now on I will be looking out with anticipation for next Stuck Mojo releases! 98/100 Tony. |