Voodoo Horseshoes | Flight of the Platypus

Published: July 13, 2011

The five members of this group from Missoula call themselves "redneckhippiestonercountryfreaks" on their new CD. Hmmm. That about covers the mash of styles in the nine Anthony Gordon-penned tunes.

Gordon, lead vocals and guitars, is joined by Toby Roberts, vocals, banjo, and yep, didgeridoo, Ty Clement, percussion, Chris Cowley, bass, and John Procter Curtis, keys.

The first number, "I Can't," is a rockin' blues with a whiff of Stevie Wonder in the bassline. Our protagonist is having a bad day.

Gordon sings in a husky baritone, usually souped up somehow. As a matter of fact, there are lots of effects on the songs, which make for good jam-band listening. "Ride On," the next tune, is a case in point. It's a spacy, twangy finger-snapper with cool organ underneath.

There's a deep bluesy feel to "Miniature Circular Orbits"; Gordon seems to be channeling Jim Morrison here. Inventive drum work with tick-tock syncopation populates the country-laced "Forgotten." Spooky wah-wa-ahed guitar underpins the slow blues of "Voodoo Woman," along with gallons of chewy effects.

Then along comes a nice surprise – a slow yet crisp rendition of the traditional bluegrass tune, "Cluck Ol' Hen," featuring the stylistic plinking of Roberts's banjo. Cool! Clement really provides the bedrock with his excellent trap work.

And, yes, there is a song called "Platypus." Gordon's strong voice is awash in reverb, and the song takes off midway through for some cool guitar riffing and piano pounding.

The last tune features crickets in the background for a pretty change of pace, in which we leave our troubles behind. Then it picks up the slack and speeds outta town before catching its breath. The finale, not listed on the album, is an outtake almost, a snippet of preaching ("Let's start a movement").

Meet these guys on a dance floor nearby, or visit the group at www.myspace.com/voodoohorseshoes.

– Mariss McTucker