Voodoo Glow Sculls
Firme

By Rob Selina
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  When I picked up Punk-O-Rama 2 a couple of years back, I took notice of the Voodoo Glow Skulls. The album featured a song of their album Firme called “El Coo Cooi” that had to be the oddest song I’ve ever heard. It’s a ska song with Spanish lyrics, but it sounds as if the guys who are playing are on warp speed. Couldn’t make out a thing the lead singer was saying, and to be blunt, the song was pretty stupid. Nevertheless, my ears hadn’t heard of anyone like them before and they sparked my interest.

Firme as a whole, is not as nuts as the single would suggest and they have more of a punk/garage sound on this album. It is still rockin’ and I am actually kinda glad that it is a little toned down since “El Coo Cooi” was a little too much for me. The slightly more mellow tone of the album was more agreeable. Do not go thinking the album is wussed out, because it sure is most definitely not my friends. It is just a little more coherent on a whole than the single would suggest.

The Voodoo Glow Skulls sound a little like a combination of The Scatalites and H2O if that makes any sense. They are heavy in the horns, but are playing at the pace of hardcore punk rock. This oversimplified explanation does not do them justice though. Traces of Latin rhythms find their way in there too, along with bits of the early nineties grunge scene. They are very energetic and definitely moving to a beat different to the rest of the music scene that is quite refreshing to say the least.

Some of the Glow Skulls more recent releases have refined their sound to incorporate more horns and take the focus away from their guitar rifts giving them an even more odd-ball sound, but this album is a must have anyway. They have a truly unique sound that anybody who is remotely interested in indie could appreciate. Firme is a truly great album that has only been overshadowed by their more recent releases. The Glow Skulls are constantly putting out more tunes and I would definitely recommend that look in to these guys.

Enjoyment: 90

Recording: 75