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In the last decade or so the circus/county fair side show as become emblematic of the dark underbelly of America. To many it is the icon of the seedy side of the USA, despite the fact that real side shows are all but extinct. Certain artists know that there's an even creepier American theatrical experience: the Tent Revival. Artists like Nick Cave and Foetus know that there's nothing more uncomfortably American than one possessed man testifying to the point of insanity. It's scarier because people believe it and because it still happens.
Scott Wexton (aka: The Voodoo Organist) is a punk/blues/goth Tent Show terrorizer, and he's intent on taking us into the dark side of these United States. Scott plays everything but the drums on this CD himself. Evil organ? Check. Theremin? Check. Bass? Not only check, but driven by Scott's LEFT FOOT. "Sinister" is suppose to refer to the left hand, Wexton just moves the definition a bit farther down. Not that you'd ever know the difference. You'd think you're hearing a full band but it's just Scott and Robin "Graves" Kennon on drumkit and "junk percussion" (with some percussion assistance by Gary True). Yet, that's all this CD needs to bowl you over.
Wexton's organ bounces, broods and blusters as necessary. While he evokes classic rock and blues when he plays he also makes the guitar sound obsolete. His organ does MORE than a guitar, and when Scott gets going on the keys it's always an integrated part of the song. You never find the self indulgent noodling that generally marks guitar "solos". That's because Wexton knows what each song needs. He slings his keyboard like a precision weapon, firing off primitive blues, driving rock, and doomy church sounds AS THE SONG REQUIRES not "just because". Wexton is a man of vision, each song gets what it needs to roll over and crush you, no more, no less. He's not even afraid to get a little disco/funky as he does on "Ain't Dead Yet".
The themes encountered on "This Burning Hell" are classically American. Alcohol, violence, the bible, and attitude. Those have been mixed together to make great country records, great rock records, great blues records, great punk records... The Voodoo Organist just makes all those records at once.
Testify.
The Voodoo Organist
http://voodooorganist.com/
http://www.myspace.com/voodooorganist/
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