The Voodoo Glow Skulls have been playing their blend of ska and punk since 1988. From California, The VGS have released several albums and produced their newest, "Steady as She Goes" themselves in their own studio. The upcoming album will be released July 2nd on Victory.
Aside from being a ska band (after all I am an objective reviewer) this is still a sub-par album. The majority of the vocals are sung by several different singers chanting the lyrics in each song and in this particular instance; this is the wrong way to go. Couple that with the horns and uninteresting songs, and you'll soon grasp the general mood. The songs themselves are fairly choppy, creating an album that is uninspiring. I'll tell you what I do like, the artwork and the guitars. The guitars have a great raw and powerful sound that you want in an aggressive in your face band, however The Voodoo Glow Skulls aren't either. Whoever was responsible for this guitar sound should recognize his (or her) talent and jump ship. The artwork is centered on a pirate theme and is pretty cool. This is an example of not judging the insides from the cover, only in opposite fashion.
Speaking of pirates, included in the press package was a pirate eye patch, and while I'm planning a lot of fun with it, I won't be swayed in pronouncing, "Steady as She Goes" something to be avoided.
D+
