BABY WOODROSE (Baby Woodrose) LP/CD
Lorenzo Woodrose's musical output is quite impressive and best of all, it's always consistently good quality. His talent as musician and songwriter is noteworthy, and so it's no surprise that he's involved in several bands/projects such as Dragontears, Pandemonica, On Trial and, of course, BABY WOODROSE. Sometimes I ask myself if he's doing something else beside writing, playing and recording music. Maybe the days are just too short for him, but as long as the creative fire is burning nicely there's no time to lose. With the new album 'Baby Woodrose', released through Bad Afro Records in 2009, Lorenzo Woodrose is reaching back to the roots, what means that he recorded almost all instruments by himself. And he succeeded magnificently, as the current album shows, but that's no real surprise.
What I also like very much is that the new record sounds rougher than its predecessor 'Chasing Rainbows'. 60's garage rock and psychedelic pop blend into a harmonious whole and become one. Some of the tracks such as 'Laughing Stock' or 'Take It' are snotty while others as, for example, 'Emily' are soaked with melancholy and longing. Other standouts like 'Changes Everywhere', 'Hollow Grove', and 'Secret of the Twisted Flower' are positively wicked psychedelic workouts. The arrangements are always enthralling, and there is a vast variety of effects and different instruments. 'No Mas' showcases Lorenzo's 60's garage punk influence, complete with background siren vocals. Right away I have to think of the extremely influential 60's group The Sonics. 'Mikita', however, goes more in the direction of Arthur Lee's Love. Anyway you look at it, this is a beautiful album that oozes and melts drippy with slabs of guitar and melody...simply heavenly.
(KK)