The way I see it, Sammy Hagar is the man who ruined Van Halen (let us forget for the moment that right now David Lee Roth is balding and pathetic while Sammy here still seems to be rocking strong). It is a small grade-school grudge that I have not been able to move beyond, however, I am trying to put the past behind me and give this album a fair listen.
After some touring in Australia and Guam, Sammy Hagar and his band, The Waboritas, have come back to the States to put out eleven tracks of good old- fashioned rock and roll in the form of Red Voodoo. The album starts out with “Mas Tequila,” a song that (I am hesitant to admit this) I was singing along with on the radio before I even knew that it was Mr. Hagar. I think most rock stars out there will agree with me when I say that this song deals with a very important subject: driving south of the border to drink copious amounts of tequila. “Red Voodoo,” the title track from this album, is a fast paced ditty about hot peppers and pretty girls, another important staple in your rock diet. The Waboritas slow things down a bit with “Lay Your Hands On Me”. This is where the album starts to lose it. The slow rock ballad just is not working for them. In a song or two though they are back on track with “Don’t Fight It (Feel It)”. With a slide guitar and some horns, they add a little something extra that gives a blues quality to their music.
These guys seem to be stuck on some permanent spring break, and their music reflects it. This album is full of fun, feel-good music. They could have left out the slower tunes, but overall, this is good rock and roll.
+ Kevin Cousins
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