Ok kiddies roll up roll up a Rock and Roll show has just rolled into town and the medicine man is selling some ‘Bad Juju’. You wanna know what that ‘Bad Juju’ is well its a good dose of Rock and Roll.

Those of you paying attention  will know Richard Duguay received a platinum record for playing on Guns & Roses’ ‘Spaghetti Incident’, and has toured with GnR bass thing Duff McKegan, but it’s his new solo album ‘Bad Juju’ that’s tearing it up all over this here Internet.

Dr. Silver, an all-seeing shaman bent on finding salvation through wrecking-ball destruction of all that lies in his path. Experience a journey through hell and back with Dr. Silver as your guide in this apocalyptic 12- track musical story you won’t soon forget! or thats how the press kit goes. To be fair its not far off the mark Richard Duguay and co-writer Marc Floyd have crafted a gritty, dirty masterpiece that journeys through the good and the great of the 70s and beyond in American Rock and Roll.

Taking some great tips from early 70’s rock & some psychedelia, the songs move from big choruses to haunting melodies with some super cool story telling lyrics that ask questions.  ‘Bad JuJu’ takes a peek behind the curtain as civilisation is in Decline it doesn’t matter what side of the pond you’re on we all have 24 hour broadcasts and super fibre broadband to see whats going on from the desperation of the title track, ‘Bad Juju’ to the catchy ‘Dr. Silver’ coming to offer us all some salvation this is good – No make that damned good.

Yeah Alice Cooper is definitely an inspiration vocally and musically but thats a good thing make no mistake. ‘Death Defy’ starts as he means to go on and from that Garage Detroit rockin’ one finger piano plonk this is really good. ‘The Rain’ opens with a haunting acoustic pick even if you know whats coming but it doesn’t rock out with big power chords but more like a gentler pop sensible break out thats restrained before dropping back down gently.

If its rockers your after it wont disappoint as Psychotic Garden’  will twist your melon sonically as there is a lot going on. ‘Dr. silver’ is a real standout track. ‘Firewalk Of Lies’ has a twisted melody much like something you could expect from someone like ginger Wildheart especially on the chorus. The title track wouldn’t be out of place on a Tom Waits album its twisted and bent out of shape as it tells its tale.

Richard doesn’t just play the songs it sounds like he lives them ‘Critical…Darling’ is a cool riff but its treated it sounds sharp right up to the break down. As we head on into the home straight and ‘Way Back Home’ you try and take in what you’ve just heard and decide your hooked and you head back down the meandering road to do it all again.

Retro Rock and Roll with a modern edge never sounded so good what a triumph ‘Bad Juju’ is

Buy ‘Bad Juju’ Here

Author: Dom Daley