If there were to be a modern day remake of Animal House, The Woolly Bushmen would be my top pick to provide the soundtrack. The Floridian trio plays frat rock at its finest, with just the right amount of garage, soul, and golden oldies mixed in. It’s sort of music that should be playing while there’s a drag race going on, or a rumble between the cool kids and the squares, or a real rockin house party. The type of music that makes you wanna dance, have a few drinks and get to second base with someone- basically what rock n roll is all about.
I had the pleasure of catching the Bushmen live in Portland, and became an immediate fan. I’m pretty sure all of the Bushmen are younger than me- all 3 are babyfaced and full of endless energy. But their youth doesn’t mean they’re inexperienced or unskilled- these guys are beyond talented. They’re so good, in fact, that they make it seem effortless- at one point, lead singer Simon got up on his organ and played it with his feet, as if that was just a normal thing everybody does. The kooky onstage antics of The Woolly Bushmen are part of what I really like most about them- as skilled of musicians as the Bushmen are, they’re not taking themselves too seriously. Just listen to the hilariously raunchy lyrics of “Hanging Blue” for example, or take a look at the band’s Bandcamp bio which ends with “Please support our amphetamine abuse by buying our records”.
Speaking of buying their records, The Woolly Bushmen have recently released a new LP, Arduino, on Pig Baby Records (available on ultra swanky gold vinyl, which seems appropriate for an album whose sales apparently fund the bands drug habit!). Arduino packs a punch into each and every one of its grooves. Its 11 tracks feature a fantastic mix of sexually charged, frat-rat style tunes guaranteed to get your ass shaking (Hanging Blue, Blue Powder, Not Tonight), obscenely catchy, organ-heavy garage rockers (I Don’t Want You, Too Much Love), and even manages to throw in tunes worthy of a slow dance (I’d Rather Die) and a hoedown (“No One Will Care To Know”).
My 4 fave cuts from Arduino include the album opener, “Something New”, an aggressive straight rocking tune that feels like a party we’re all being invited to, “Don’t Let Him In”, which features organ that sounds like 8 bit Nintendo music and is just cool as hell from start to finish, “Medicated”, a track reminiscent of Paul Revere & The Raiders’ “Ups and Downs” with an added touch of soul, and “If It’s Alright With You”, the album’s closing track, which sounds like a lost slow-burning Seeds B-side and currently has over 50 plays in my itunes.
Arduino is a guaranteed good time. The Bushmen really know how to rock n roll, and the album is full of hooks, riffs, and melodies that’ll be stuck in your head for days. Get your copy of Arduino here
And dig a live performance of “Something New”, Arduino’s opening track, shot by yours truly in Portland:
Follow The Woolly Bushmen here:
https://thewoollybushmen.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Woollybushmen
Written By Sheena Salazar for POW Magazine
sheenacheyennesalazar@gmail.com
