Flashback CD Review #26 - Mojo Gurus - Shakin' The Barn

This review was written for the Rock Is Life.com website in 2005.

Mojo Gurus

Shakin' In The Barn

Empire Musicwerks - 2005

http://www.mojogurus.com

What's The 4-1-1?

The Florida-based rockers have their fourth CD filled with the Southern rock, blues and roots music they've used to make a name for themselves.

Genre

Rock / Roots Rock / Southern Rock

The Good

Well if you are looking for a foot-stomping rocking good time, this just might be your album. Vocalist Kevin Steele has a big expressive voice with a sardonic edge to it. If you combine that with the down and dirty guitar work from Jeff Vitolo, wow, you've really found something. The band crosses a bunch of different musical genres on this album. There's the hard rocking "Baddest Mother's Son." They've got the very country music-tinged "Fool's Hall of Fame" and other swamp rock tunes like "You'd Have To Tie Me Up To Tie Me Down" and "White Line Fever".

The Bad

There's nothing overtly bad about the album. Some of the songs I enjoyed less than the others, but all in all, its not much to complain about. The one song I didn't particularly care for was the title track "Shakin' In The Barn".

The Verdict

You've got 12 cuts here and they are all full on rocking tunes with no ballads to slow the pace of the album down. The album is just over 38 minutes long, but in that short amount of time, Mojo Gurus put their definitive sound to good use. This album is quite good, and it sounds like a CD that would feel right at home spinning on the player at any down home party.

Did You Know?

The album Shakin' In The Barn was produced by Grammy-winning producer Jack Douglas. His credits include working with John Lennon, Aerosmith and the New York Dolls.

Rating: 3 out of 5