Customer Reviews

Hoodoo

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Four years after her smash hit cover of Ketty Lester's "Love Letters", Alison Moyet heralded the release of her "Hoodoo" album with the searing "It Won't Be Long." It might have earned a Grammy nomination and critical kudos but it scared the bejaysus out of inane pop-pickers on playlist panels. So much so, in fact, that the two subsequent (and more commercial) A-sides from this set would be utterly sidelined.

Alison Moyet had clearly found her voice and a clear artistic vision. "Hoodoo" at once embraced her soulful roots, her pop sensibilities, a taste for shouty blues/rock and her unrivalled talent for smoky chanson. "Footsteps," with its soulful horn section and superglue hooks, slinkily opens proceedings before "It Won't Be Long" comes along to strip emotional paint. Next is the jewel in this album's crown, the hauntingly beautiful "This House." Imbued with longing and loss, it never once falters into saccharine balladry and its failure to become a global smash remains a mystery. It remains one of the very finest songs of Moyet's career. Elsewhere, the lilting "Wishing You Were Here," the skittering electro-reggae of the gorgeous "Back Where I Belong" and the strident pizzazz of the funky title track keep the standard at a very satisfying high.

Overall, "Hoodoo" is a very dark album. The feminist call-to-arms of "Rise" is bedded in a swampy arrangement and "My Right A.R.M." is a dense mood-piece. Closing the album is the gospel tinged "Find Me," which has `modern standard' written all over it.

It is a mark of this album's strength that, all these years later, it still packs a punch. True, some of the arrangements and production are `of their time' (`Never Too Late,' for instance) but the quality of the performances and the writing remains awe-inspiring. It is fair to say that the real Alison Moyet emerged with the release of this album. She found her voice and started to use it in fine style.

This cd is my first pick of must haves. "Alf" can pack more of an emotional whallop in one lyric than any of the "divas" of today could put in to an entire album. If you enjoy a deep voiced, powerful female vocalist, you are going to LOVE Alison Moyet and this, of all her albums, is the BEST. She belts out this emotional roller coster with such passion she will haunt your cd player for years. Unlike her following solo releases, this one is soulfully earthy and mostly accoustic sounding. Very different from her electronica albums. ( not that they're bad, just different) Try it, you're gonna fall in love.

This is one of the best albums of all time. It's masterfully produced and it goes to show how someone can turn their struggle into beautiful art. She was going through a divorce while creating the album. You can see sorrow, cynicism, hope, joy, and revelation in her lyrics, which are then offered on the platter of her AMAZING vocals. Few artists have the weighty presence she does, which can't be ignored. These are the songs that joyfully stick in your head, making you wish you had the cd nearby. It's everything it should be--cathartic, inspirational, and energizing. For God's sake! Buy the album!!!!

Perhaps the best thing Moyet ever did,this album got somehow ignored by music industry & audience thirsty for simple pop jingles - it is excellent collection of serious pop with strong melancholic undertones and clever lyrics. Be it dramatic ballads or gospel finale,Moyet roars with that amazing,chocolate voice and simply has no competition far and away.
Excellent album.

After two glossy pop albums that established her as a solo star in Britain, if not in the US, Alison Moyet realeased "Hoodoo" in 1991. It is a magnificent album. Moyet is a great, great singer and has tried her hand at a surprising range of styles (from technopop to jazz to Brel to opera over the years)--but her best singing is on the blues-inflected pop showcased on this album. "This House" is a stunning, emotional, gut-wrenching story of a relationship falling apart--and proves that Moyet is as good a songwriter as singer. It is one of many highlights on the album.

This LP is a favorite of mine. I saw Alison LIVE at Bogart's in Cincinnati Ohio just after the release of "Essex" and I was still banging to this release. Her voice is in great form on every track. It feels, to me, that Alison is more at "home" within these lyrics and vibes. Her voice emits a freedom that wasn't there within "Raindancing". It seems she has control and is fine within it's arms. A Grammy nomination came out of this collection as well. Deny her voice, deny music.

Listening to anything prior to Alison's triumphant 2002 album 'Hometime' seems difficult now. The sheer beauty and craftsmanship on her last album overshadows anything Alison has done before.

Sony, bafflingly, deleted Hoodoo some years ago, and Ms Moyet's new label, Sanctuary, snapped up the rights to both this and the underwhelming 'Essex', and have re-released them, remastered, not repackaged.

The intervening 13 years have been surprisingly kind to Hoodoo, apart from the 80's sounding 'My Right ARM' and 'Never too Late', both great songs, but sounding a little tired nowadays. The title track still sounds like a Prince song (which is a good thing... check out 'More' from 'Hometime', another song in a similar vein), the breathtakingly fabulous 'This House' still send shivers down the spine (best opening line EVER in a song: "Whose sticky hands are these, and what is this empty place?"....genius), and the toe curling 'Meeting with my main man' still stands out like a sore thumb and is clearly a song Alison should never have touched with a bargepole. This, along with the dreadful 'Rise' (put down those frying pans, ladies), are the album's severe lowpoints. But these are more than compensated for - 2 duff tracks on an album full of gems...ahhh.

'It Won't Be Long', the first single from Hoodoo, alienated many of her 'pop' fans, and the resulting sales for Hoodoo were lukewarm. Don't let that put you off - Hoodoo is ten times the album 'Alf' or 'Raindancing' is - more adult, more honest and infinitely more textured and interesting.

This, along with 'Hometime' and the two glorious Yazoo albums, are the 'essential' Alison Moyet purchases. Also worth mentioning is the forthcoming Anne Dudley-produced covers album (due late summer 2004), which promises to be more than interesting. How fantastic it is to see this fine lady doing what she does best again, and seemingly loving it. To have a glorious voice is one thing - to have THAT voice AND be a brilliant, clever, witty lyricist - a rare talent.

And it has to be said - she looks rather sexy on the cover of Hoodoo, too.....;-)

This House, the title of the song you just have to hear to believe. If this song does not stir your soul, you may want to check you have one. This album has to be purchased for this track if no others. There are other great songs on this album, and it goes to show how the power and prescence of Alison Moyet's voice impacts on those who hear her. Listen, you need to.

As a fan who loved Raindancing, I couldn't believe how heavy and unmelodic the sound was on this album. I would not classify her sound here as 'more adult', as other reviewers have done; it's just loud, harsh, and depressing. I forced myself to listen to it several times, and then traded it ASAP. By comparison, I would rate Hometime somewhere in between, and more Basia-esque.