The Voodoo Jets
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‘Voodoo Jets’ album channels classic rock
September 2, 2010 by Molly Walter
The Voodoo Jets are back at it with their new CD “From Green to Eternity.”
Released yesterday, the CD is diverse and full of passion. Their sound, modern rock/pop with a classic rock flare, is a pretty universally appreciated sound. The band’s image also reflects their classic rock sound. Unlike most rock bands, the Voodoo Jets consist of only keyboards, bass and drums.
The CD starts off softly with the first two tracks. The first track, “Cry,” has wonderful vocals and keyboard. The second track, “Welcome to the Real World,” is probably one of the best on the CD.
The harmony of the guitar, piano, bass, drums and vocals in the beginning creates a kind of supernatural rhythm. The keyboard solo, disguised as a guitar, also adds to that feel of classic rock.
“Calm Before the Storm” is a great keyboard cover of “Jesu, Joy of a Man’s Desiring,” from “Cantata 147” by Johann Sebastian Bach. “Calm Before the Storm” isn’t the only cover on the CD. The Voodoo Jets also cover “The Tears of a Clown” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles; the track has great energy and harmonies.
Micah Sheveloff rocks the keyboard in “Hotel.” They way he makes the keyboard sound like an electric guitar is phenomenal. “Hotel” has a love song feel with lyrics like, “I will be your hotel, Baby,” but the best love song on the CD is “Smile.”
One song could have been left off the CD, “Cartoon.” “I wanna be a cartoon” is a little weird, and doesn’t make much sense. The track starts off slow, but it picks up during the chorus. The song does have a good beat, which gives it some merit.
The CD includes two live tracks, “Big Black Machine Gun” and “Spaceman,” which were both recorded at the benefit for The Voodoo Jets’ former drummer John Fowler, who passed away in March of 2008.
These two tracks are a fitting memorial to Fowler, who recorded six of the CD’s 13 tracks with the band. Fowler was replaced by current drummer, Greg Trabandt.
In a word, The Voodoo Jets’ sophomore CD is brilliant. Anyone who loves the sound of the keyboards will be fascinated by the band’s creative use of them.
This CD’s classic rock flare mixed with the talents of Sheveloff, Perrouna, Trabandt and Fowler delivers something anyone can enjoy.
- The University Leader
Long gone, it seemed, were the days of power pop groups such as Cheap Trick. By the time the mid-90’s came around, it seemed that grunge had taken over, a new era of punk was beginning to take hold, and heavy metal was set to soon become king. In essence, the innocent sound of music appeared to have died off to make room for a more controversial, provocative touch to the progression of rock’n’roll.
The Voodoo Jets bring a touch of class, and a new standard, to power pop with their album, “From Greens to Eternity.” Overall, the album gives enough time in the 13-track masterpiece to get out your full groove with hints of inspiration from the 60’s all the way through the 90’s. Tracks like, “Welcome to the Real World,” “Let it Rain,” and “Cartoon,” bring out well rounded similarities mid-90’s grunge and grunge-pop, whereas, “The Crown” and “Decades” have a very definitive Beatles-era feel to them.
Even away from considering the possible, and surely many, influential styles, genres, and artists that The Voodoo Jets have, the more important fact of the album is that every sound the trio achieved blends together perfectly to make, quite possibly, the greatest sure-to-make-you-groove album of the past several years. Not only does it excite, and then calm you down, just to do it all over again, but is a musical masterpiece as well.
Even without a traditional lead guitar, the beautiful bass playing takes up the slack. The vocals mix together amazing harmonies with a Generation-X sort of rasp, proving that Francesco Perrouna has a definite advantage of vocal range over half of the other bands out on the market today. Add in the occasional touch of a seemingly long forgotten pop-rock absolute must have in the organ-piano-harpsichord combination, and you have a record that will go down in history as something special to the world of music.
It was definitely hard to choose which song would get the music reviewer’s choice of Best Song on the Album, but “Smile” takes the victory in the hard fought battle to win the author’s pick. Kudos go to The Voodoo Jets, with many wishes of numerous more albums to come. “From Greens to Eternity” gets this writers top marks. - Paper Dragon Ink (.com)
Discography
Supersonic (2006)
From Greens to Eternity (2010)
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Bio
Inspired by such great power pop acts as Cheap Trick and the Beatles, The Voodoo Jets' sound seeks to reclaim the innocence of an era gone by, though married seamlessly with a modern power pop ethic. Envision keyboards turbocharged by a wall of guitar amplifiers, the subtle layered harmonies of the Beach Boys, and a precise, relentless rhythm section. The Voodoo Jets deliver passion, beauty, and crushing hooks in meaningful songs.
Micah Sheveloff (has worked with Gary Cherone, Mike Malinin, Meliah Rage, and others)) switches between writing songs on the piano and on his electronic rig. "The mentality is totally different; the song ideas that come from one are a complete departure from what I create on the other. As the child of hard-core classical musicians, I was forbidden to listen to the Beatles or any other pop music with the possible exception of George Gershwin and Scott Joplin," Sheveloff remembers.
Francesco Perrouna has been called a virtuoso bassist, mixing fretless and traditional bass work with The Voodoo Jets. His fingers grind the strings into the surface of the neck, producing a beautiful, pleading sound as he threads from note to note. Perrouna's lead vocals feature wistful tones and an amazing range. Sheveloff and Perrouna are that rare songwriting partnership whose creations become greater than the sum of the parts. Perrouna's lyrical style recounts personal trials, battles won and lost, and the undying hope that the next day might be outstanding.
Greg Trabandt (drums since the passing of John Fowler) Drumming since the age of nine, Greg has played rock, jazz, and even with the All Eastern UCONN Symphony Orchestra. Trabandt's first original project, Furious Styles, was produced by Simon Townshend and managed by Kamal from the Jerky Boys. Furious Styles toured with the Spin Doctors, Maceo Parker, Blues Traveler & other artists, opening the door for Trabandt to get session work in both LA and New York. Greg has worked with Tommy Lee, Tony Harnel of TNT, Al Pitrelli of Widowmaker & Asia, Mike Viscera from Obsession, Roger Filgate from Wishbone Ash, Danny Meranda of Blue Oyster Cult, and others. Greg proudly endorses ddrum, VIC FIRTH signature sticks & Arti Dixon bass drum lifts.
IN MEMORIUM
John Fowler was best known for his recording and touring with the band Steelheart. He presented a combination of delicacy and forcefulness from behind the drum kit, and an obvious mastery of dynamics and tempo. John was rock & roll personified, sticks flying, smoke billowing from his cigs as he piloted The Voodoo Jets (on the band’s first CD, SUPERSONIC) from his throne. Fowler was perfect for a three-piece ensemble: relentless, a touch of flash, always in charge of the pulse. Fowler passed away in March, 2008, at the age of 42 after suffering a brain aneurysm.
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