REVIEW: Hoodoo Gurus, Crank (Zoo)
- Bob Gajarsky
The Australian pop-rock group Hoodoo Gurus have returned to the music scene with their latest release, Crank.
The title may as well be what you should do to your radio knob - as in, "Crank it up!". Alternative radio should jump all over the first track, "The Right Time", which brings back the melodic guitars that were an integral part of the band's most successful song to date, "Come Anytime".
And, yes, lead singer David Faulkner is back on vocals as well. There's some twists on the album - "Gospel Train" has a Stones-ish, "19th Nervous Breakdown" quality to it, while "Nobody" shows the lighter side of the Gurus - a slowly strummed guitar, similar to the traditional "House of The Rising Sun" - while lead singer Faulkner "I don't want nobody if I don't have you." Drums kick in for the second stanza - well, you KNEW the band wouldn't stay slow for long - to pack a powerful punch to the track.
Looking for other bands to compare the Gurus with? I'd mention, in addition to some of the Rolling Stones material, early 1980's Clash, a drug-free and polished Nirvana, and the non-folksy bands who were in attendance at the first Woodstock.
The band is now on their third U.S. label, but still continues to produce quality material. I can't see the Hoodoo Gurus bringing in new fans, but with Crank, old fans should still be satisfied. If you like guitars and drums in a rock and roll setting, Crank is for you.
