Hoodoo Gurus
Chariot Of The Gods

Well yes. Twelve years have passed. But for me, many more have gone by.

The Hoodoo Gurus, hailing from Sydney, are one of the leading bands of the aussie wave that showed the rest of the world in the 80s how to play Rock’n’Roll born from the sixties, but also from the punk of the seventies. The first three irresistible albums, Stoneage Romeos (BigTime, 1984), Mars Needs Guitars (Bigtime, 1985), and Blow Your Cool (Bigtime, 1987), secured the Gurus’ place in history, while the subsequent works, although not reaching the early heights, would always remain honest and decent.

The Hoodoo Gurus play sunny and crystalline garage rock, oscillating between catchy melodies and the vehemence of the most compelling rock’n’roll, between psychotic rockabilly and pop, between surf, beat, and punk, between shimmering guitars and Cramps-like distortions. They draw from the Beatles, the Kinks, the Flamin’ Groovies, the Byrds, but also from Radio Birdman, X, and 50s cinema. If you need an injection of happiness on a dark day or just need to embark on a car journey, you can rely on them. They will be your best companion.

Twelve years have passed, as I was saying. Twelve years since their previous album, Purity of Essence (Sony, 2010). But for me, many more have gone by. For me, the Hoodoo Gurus had stopped at their Magnum Cum Louder of 1989, because the subsequent albums, while decent, no longer managed to light the fuse that ignites the explosive material, the flame of passion that induces you to return time and again to listen. So, with the passing years, the contemporary Gurus, who were the subject of increasingly distracted listens from me, progressively faded, remaining crystallized in the unforgettable harmonies and exhilarating guitar riffs of the first four albums, which were the safe harbors I inevitably returned to.

Chariot of the Gods (Big Time, 2022), finally, thirty-three years after Magnum Cum Louder, has once again sparked the fire that has blazed brightly. A fire, to be clear, which is contained and not out of control like the one sparked by the early records, fueled by the wind of Rocchenroll that blew forcefully on the dry wood of my then eighteen years, but still a fire!

Chariot of the Gods was composed and recorded during pandemic times and according to the leader, Dave Faulkner, represents an act of resistance. It's an album, played with guitars and with heart, in which Faulkner (voice and guitar), Brad Sheperd (guitar), Rick Grossman (bass), and Nick Rieth (drums. Formerly of Radio Birdman, formerly of Celibate Rifles, formerly of New Christs, who joined the lineup after the recent departure of Mark Kingsmill) have rediscovered the creative vein and verve of their earlier days. Dave indeed stated: “The last two years have been frustrating and nerve-wracking for everyone, but for the Hoodoo Gurus this dark period had an upside. Forced to rely on ourselves, we experienced a creative renaissance within the band that led to this new album.” And the high caliber of this new work is evidenced by the fact that during the listening of the fourteen tracks, it is practically impossible to remain still. An irresistible force compels you at least to tap your foot to the beat, or with whatever you find in your hands (preferably a pencil or pen to mimic drumsticks), or to sing along to the choruses of their splendid vocal harmonies.

The tribal punk-pop of “World of Pain” opens the dances, followed by, just to name a few, “Get Out Of Dodge,” the rock-solid “Answered Prayers,” the melodic “Was I Supposed To Care?”, the western gallop of “My Imaginary Friend,” the relentless garage-punk of “I Come From Your Future,” dominated by the wah-wah of an irrepressible Brad Sheperd, and “Don't Try to Save My Soul” studded by the granite rhythm section on which the usual Sheperd interweaves with the saturated reverb of the slide guitar. Special mention goes to the concluding “Got To Get You Out Of My Life,” where Dave Faulkner plays at imitating the Lou Reed of Transformer, crafting a modern and compelling “Walk on the Wild Side.”

In short, a grand return of these legends of Australian Rock. And if in 1985 the Gurus sang loudly that “Mars needs guitars,” today we can state without fear of contradiction that amidst global epidemics, winds of war, and natural disasters, it is this globe on which we drag our tiny steps that needs the guitars of the Hoodoo Gurus more than ever. Thank you guys for coming back!