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Gorilla Vodoo: "UNDER THE THUMB OF THE MAN, SMILING" |
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From the moment when you peel the pink polyethylene wrap from the plastic CD case, to the second you pop UNDER THE THUMB OF THE MAN, SMILING into your stereo, a few things are immediately evident. For starters, this is no boy band (hey, we figured it was worth mentioning for those who've gotten the impression that they're the only type of band to be found these days). A romantic crooner? Forget about it. In the words of The Wallpaper Man, the sole creator of Gorilla Vodoo, this record is "definitely not TOP 40". UNDER THE THUMB, a pure independent recording, is a musical, emotional and psychological vehicle of ultimate self-expression, and a journey into the uncharted territory of the mind. All those afraid of the unknown, turn back now.
So what is an "indie" artist, anyway? Someone who is not under the slave-labour confines of a major label, perhaps? The Wallpaper Man puts it best on his CD jacket when he promotes keeping art "free from the chains of commercial oppression". To quote from the artist's own web page, a site which incidentally sums up much of Gorilla Vodoo's philosophy: "Independence is bliss, Ignorance isn't." If you listen to the lyrics on UNDER THE THUMB, it will become clear that this guy has a number of important messages to get across, namely in terms of freedom of mind and expression, and of the corruption of the modern world. Between the album and the literature found on the artist's website, listeners will find that there are many ways of being independent, and that's what Gorilla Vodoo is really about.
The music of Gorilla Vodoo, self-described as an "orchestration of chaos", is not for the faint of heart…or ears, for that matter. UNDER THE THUMB is a one man act; all songs on the album have been written, performed and produced by The Wallpaper Man. The sound of the album is deliberate, heavy and guitar-driven, and seems to have been influenced not only by 1970s acid-rock, but by more recent groups as well - like the power-chord princes of the early 90s, Nirvana. Most of the songs feature simultaneous guitar lines backing up the singer's droning declarations of freedom and statements about society. With high gain, wavering rhythms, out-there solos and seemingly off-key vocal moments, the music often resembles a garage jam session (an ironic thing, considering the number of band members). Some may consider this musical discord a bit unpleasant, but this seems to be the poster case of "beauty being in the ears of the beholder". Overall, melody plays second fiddle to lyric on this album, which may be exactly the message the artist is trying to convey.
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One track that does stand out above all, musically, is "Breakfast at the Zoo". Opening with a refreshingly unique drumbeat and a lengthy, dissonant guitar solo, the build-up is entirely suspenseful before the singer sneaks in with a dark, eerie melody. This track, more so than the others, demonstrates a craftily planned song structure resulting in a vibrant, quality recording.
Lyrically, this album is foremost an expression of the artist's feelings pertaining to the world around him, and the personal revelations he has come to in the process of self-discovery. Through writing these songs, The Wallpaper Man has become "better acquainted with someone [he] never cared to know before"...himself. The eleven tracks on UNDER THE THUMB show this acquaintance through the many different opinions and raw emotions expressed in each song. "3 days in Pittsburgh & deranged", the thirteen-plus minute finale, projects vivid feelings of pain and frustration in the context of a man placed in a strange situation. The lyrics are honest, emotional, and deal with the perpetual suffering of the mind.
Although much of what Gorilla VOdoo has to say seems melancholy, there is some optimism found in his music. As a realist, The Wallpaper Man sees all the evil that exists in the world, but offers small counteractions that the little man can partake in. In the second track, "Broken Intentions", he sings: "We can't succumb to violence/ We've gotta use a higher sense/ & together we can make a difference". This promotion of positive action offers a glimmer of hope in the otherwise bleak image of the world projected by this album.
UNDER THE THUMB OF THE MAN, SMILING is a worthwhile project for Gorilla Vodoo (aka The Wallpaper Man), who has ventured outside the realm of normalcy to express his true self through powerful words and psychedelic sounds. In "Broken Intentions", the lyrics state: "It's up to U what happens next/ So live each day like it's the last". From examining this album, it is safe to conclude that The Wallpaper Man is indeed practicing what he preaches. The music of Gorilla Vodoo is definitely not for everybody - you probably won't see his songs at the top of Billboard anytime soon - but for those who are ready to experience raw musical emotion, go ahead - but proceed with caution and an open mind.
By Betsy MacDonald, CanEHdian.com
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Album review copyright CanEHdian.com 2002 (All Rights Reserved)
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