Stevie Wonder once sited Glenn Hughes as his favourite white vocalist; praise from Caesar indeed. Hughes is best know with his work with Deep Purple mark III and IV as a bass player /vocalist and fronting Black Sabbath during the 80s. His latest work with guitarist Dario Mollo as Voodoo Hill reminds us of his amazing vocal abilities which no doubt influenced the likes of Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell along the way.
This album has been a long time coming, eleven years to be exact. This is very much Hughes's album, his distinctive raspy, rock belt is the beating heart of every song, followed intently by Mollo's replying guitar. The first track, All That Remains is a straight forward rock song with a catchy hook and chorus, but don't let that fool you into thinking that the guys are churning over a well trodden path. Waterfall contains some magical moments and career best performances.
Rattle Shake Bone is a raw and sexy track that oozes lustful desire which is illustrated by Hughes expressive vocal longing, closely followed by an aching guitar refrain. Underneath and Down Below follows a neo progressive feel and is a stunning feature on the album with some sterling work. Another beautiful track is Waterfall, which features an incredible performance from Hughes and we're only halfway!
Karma Go cranks things up with more fine rock attitude whilst Evil Thing ups the ante with elements of thrash and some mean power chords thrown in for good measure. Sunflower is a mellow love song with a funky pop rock riff. Last Door closes the album with a hint of mystery and sensuality once again blasted out in Voodoo style. There's certainly variety on this record, no one track is the same as the next.
Overall this is another great collaboration between Mollo and Hughes which has been well worth waiting for.
