Sky-Bosses
The Woolly Bushmen
Chesterwick Records, 2015
There’s a cheeky playfulness running through the pulse of The Woolly Bushmen. Starting with the offhanded, Image may be NSFW.
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mischievous organ groove of “The Routine,” the brothers Palombi and Mr. Miller wink wryly at us, the listeners, just to see if we’re in on it. If not, it’s o-k. This music works as sincere song craft or dramatic anachronism taken to an extreme level of dedication.
This is the second full length release from Orlando’s The Woolly Bushmen, and it finds them refining the organ they grind even further. There’s high expectations placed on these three as new standard bearers for the up and coming crop of younger garage-ish bands. A lot of garage bands will acknowledge Iggy, The Ramones, and occasionally drop in other flavors and colors to let you know, they know it’s 2015. Not The Woolly Bushmen.
It may as well be 1963 and The Beatles are just something you need to spray for if you want your garden to stand out this spring. “Two Steps Ahead” is a hiccupy burst of energy which was probably tucked away in Buddy Holly’s notebook for his next release he never quite got around to. “Out O’ Luck” is another up-beat number that struts confidently, daring you not to notice. “T’wern’t No Foolin’” and most of the album strains at the edges of pop music’s fickle boundaries and begs to be heard by every-damn-body.
The back-to-back pairing of “Screamin’ ana’ Shoutin’” and “Shake Yer Fanger” is quite possibly the greatest thing ever. Ragged and excitable, The Woolly Bushmen have embraced minimalism, and by painting with a only few colors have allowed them to do it exceptionally well. This album is amped up and transformative. Looking backwards and moving forward all at once.
