Live and Undead From Temperance’–
Released - 18th March 2024 on Voodoo Shack Records / New Retro Sounds
Reviewed 30th July 2024 by Rockin Rebel.
Band Members:
Jo Carley - Vocals, Backing Vocals, Washboard, Mandolin, and Percussion.
Tim Carley - Battered Archtop Guitar, Kick, Rattlin' Shoe, Backing Vocals and Percussion.
James Le Huray (Aka Big Jim Hairy Bones) - Beat-up Double Bass, Banjo, Backing Vocals and Percussion
Recorded live at the Temperance Bar in Leamington Spa by Adrian Gainse on the 28th October 2023. Mixed / Mastered: Ed Deegan at Gizzard Recording. In their own words: Jo Carley and The Old Dry Skulls combine the voodoo sounds and syncopated rhythms of the blues, but uniquely delivered with an old timey vaudeville twist. It’s music that makes people want to come down and shake their bones! Voodoo has found its way onto British shores and Jo Carley is the voodoo queen sent to predict hell in a way to entertain and amaze you. This demonic music-hall mistress tells tales of terror in old-timey fashion. Backed by her song-writing partner and husband Tim Carley, a man of considerable size who plays “syncopated rhythms to shake your soul” on a beaten-up archtop guitar, kick drum and rattlin’ shoe, with fellow fiend James Le Huray providing the final ingredients of the spell, in the shape of double bass and banjo.
Let’s go track by track
1: Intro / Be Careful What You Wish For
Freaky music build up, almost makes you want to put the light on, back ground humming and a vocal voodoo speech from the queen herself.
2: Alligator Blood
Im already sure the audience will be on the edge of there seats, jo introduces herself lyrically. Such a great sound from the mixed instruments being used by the band. The ground defiantly enjoying Jo’s spellbinding vocals.
3: Crazy Little Demon In Love
A special song to all the creatures of the night.the sound of the percusions gives a shivering effect of a rattle snake around your ears. Tim and James give the track life to this demon of a track.
4: The Zombie
Beats, bells and bass on this nice little intro. Wow these zombies are real, not the dancing kind from the 80s Thriller. Do the zombie we asked to do? So there is a dance to this one, get them shoes out on the misty dance floor.
5: The Devil
Once again the crowd giving there joy on the opening. Some superb musicianship on this opening, literally making the instruments talk. Great writing from tim and jo. Defiantly vaudeville backing with nice little breaks from the percussion side.
6: She Got Him (With Her Voodoo)
Not only did she get him, she got me hiding under the pillow, starts of slow and fearful then goes into an hard driving vocal, there’s that many great sounds its hard to figure which one is more scary. Love it and just when you think you got away, they come right back at you with another chorus,
7: The Jungle
Some great guitar takes charge in this intro, with washboard backing. The bass sits scared in the background. Lovely jolly vocals with a sinister vibe, don’t turn your back for a minute.
8: Dose of Your Medicine
Sounds like someone just walked in on the opening and the voodoo queen throws a spell over them. Mixing a great sound with the bass and guitar and that the audience is swallowing it right down, feet and hands will be tapping along. But it could be deadly so don’t drink to much.
9: Not A Bone
Great rockin intro with some great riffs, superb instrumental breaks that will be captivating the audience. Brilliantly written and brilliantly performed. Listen to that sound
10: Good Time
No messing and straight into this faced paced rocker from the devil’s pit. the atmosphere must be electric and not only are the band enjoying themselves but the crowd as well. Once again, some great instruments being ripped apart on this BOOgie woogie track.
11: Nobody’s Sweetheart No More
Intro with a nice blend of mandolin?.but its not the mandolin, this is tim playing the guitar very weirdly.(even I got fooled)bass and washboard blended with those vocals of mrs Voodoo, Bring this zombified break up track as only this trio could do. Some wonderful lyrics and again vocally excellent.
12: Intro / I’ll Put My Voodoo On You
A very interesting story about how this album bought them a step closer to reaching the heights the band was hoping for.
13: I’ll Put My Voodoo On You
I had the great pleasure of reviewing this very album a while back. And this track still gives me shivers as it did then. Jo Carley and the old dry skulls at there best. Jos, vocal really shines through on this track with her natural vibrato and soft tender tones, I think this will always be my favourite track’
14: The Bonereaders
When“Don’t let them in” starts the track off you know your in for a special song, and the lyrics on this tongue twisting mid-paced tempo, you had better listen to the advice. The writing duo have a wonderful imagination or a weird one to get this to paper then into production. Great album track.
15: Dead But He Won’t Lay Down
If Norman Bates (pyscho) could play a instrument then the intro would be his masterpiece. A slow start that you just know is going to get you by the throat and fill your ears with some gruesome sounds and lyrics. and just when you think its over, your cursed to the spot. Eight minutes long on this final track to a brilliant album
Wait, dip that glass into the cauldron and fill it up, its not over yet. The crowd beg for more.
16: Little Dead Lovin’
And the band don’t let them down with another dance boogie from the grave yard. Get dem bones a shakin.
Summery
This album is just great, its fun and frightening at the same time. The writing is second to none in this field, the music is outstanding. Sixteen tracks that will entertain even the hardcore out there. Jo Carley and The Old Dry Skulls are a class act and will continue to go forward in a big way.
Recommendation
Don’t let this pass you by or she will put a voodoo curse on you.
Bio
Jo Carley and The Old Dry Skulls (UK) are a band like no other and will be bringing their Voodoo Vaudeville Blues on tour to the UK and Europe in 2024. The music takes influence from early vaudeville blues acts such as Victoria Spivey via Cab Calloway, Wilmoth Houdini and Wanda Jackson, but adding a creepy and theatrical twist that echoes Dr John and Screamin Jay Hawkins, all with an upbeat dose of old timey rock n roll, skiffle, calypso and a 1930's vibe.
They've got stories of deals with the devil, demons in love, witchdoctors, ghosts, ghouls, journeys to the deepest jungles and other exotic adventures that are all told using sweet melodies and syncopated sounds. The whole show is led by voodoo queen of England Jo Carley as she takes the audience on a journey to Voodoo Island, telling tales of the strange happenings and even stranger characters. Backed by her song-writing partner and husband the Zombie-like Tim Carley, who churns out blues-tinged rhythms on an old archtop guitar, kick drum and rattlin’ shoe, with fellow fiend James Le Huray providing the final ingredients of the spell, in the shape of double bass and banjo. ‘I’ll Put My Voodoo On You’ (Released 14th November 2022) is the bands fourth album and was recorded in their Voodoo Shack, down by the beach on the East Coast of England during the darkest days and longest nights of early 2022. These recordings were mixed and mastered to ¼ inch tape with Ed Deegan at Gizzard Recordings in London in the spring and summer of 2022. Their analogue and primitive way of recording totally captures the bands unique sound. Rooted firmly in a bygone era when Black Magic was rife, it has all the vibe, sounds and character of the old Blues, Old-timey Country, Skiffle, Calypso and Rock n Roll records that inspired them to make this album.
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