Album Review:
By John Powell
F
lorida’s Bushwood has always approached songwriting with mindful simplicity.
Their agenda is not to alter the
world through verbosity and large
orchestration; their vibe is strictly
beach, and if you live in a snowy
place where it’s dark and cold all
winter, this music should be your
prescription.
With this in mind, Bushwood’s
new, self-produced EP offers two
love songs and a near-twenty-minute podcast. The first song, “Unchained”, is inspired by the love
story in the movie “Django Unchained.” Leave it to this group to
extract the sweetness from such a
movie and expand it into a song.
Steve Voronkov’s voice, after
loads of shows, has become richer
and more focused, and the band,
as far as instrumentally, has progressed since even their last LP,
Tidal Wave (Bushwood, 2013).
The addition of trumpeter Alex
Coombs fills out their sound, and
they no longer sound like kids
starting to try reggae; they are a
full-blown reggae outfit, and even
when Voronkov offers, “Every
night/ Every day/ I can’t get you
off my mind,” it doesn’t sound as
trite as it could.
“Hey Girl” is a milder track with
more focus on roots reggae vibes
than Bushwood ever previously
Bushwood
Unchained EP
attempted. “Every day/ I used to
waste my precious time/ with all
those other girls/ who put me in
the back of their mind,” Voronkov
begins, later giving a shout out to
romantic reggae legend Gregory
Isaacs by calling this woman his
“Night Nurse.” If you extract vibe
and sound alone, “Hey Girl” is super sleek. The production on this
EP indicates Bushwood’s growth,
with smoother transitions and a
better understanding of where
the horns and bass belong in the
mix.
If there’s any unfortunate
thing about these new tracks it’s
that the lyrics, while delivered
well, aren’t very impressive. The
only reason I know “Unchained” is
inspired by the movie is because
I read the press release. I’d love
Bushwood to go the extra mile and
make their lyrics more personal.
The music is becoming distinctly
Bushwood; the lyrics should be as
well. They should know that the
more personal a band gets, the
more they stand out. Instead of
calling someone “baby,” give them
a name. Walk us through the
movie, in case we haven’t seen it.
The podcast at the end explains
much about Bushwood’s mission
and their beginnings, and you get
to meet and greet the band members. You learn that the band
grew from Voronkov working at
a golf club, bored to death, scribing songs on a notepad; thus, the
name Bushwood (also the golf
club in “Caddyshack”). If nothing
else, you learn that the band that
produces these often lighthearted love tracks are intelligent,
creative, and dedicated artists.
Whether Bushwood’s new to you
and an introduction would be
nice, or you’re a long-time fan, the
podcast is a unique idea for an EP
offering.
Either way, Bushwood is a solid band, and these new songs continue the tradition of good vibes.
You’ll enjoy the experience. ■