Apocalypse Is God's Spoiler. JuJu

Big Rhythms are heard at the start of Apocalypse Is God's Spoiler. As if 'Tusk' needed resurrecting. Should anyone ever have wondered how Cari Cari would sound in a full band setting, here's JuJu. 'Dead At 25' is your answer. I'm glad to state that I've lived passed 25. Otherwise this blog would have been extremely empty. So, let's make the best of this opportunity.

JuJu is one of several projects that Sicilian musician and producer Gioele Valenti is involved in. Apocalypse Is God's Spoiler is the fifth name under the JuJu moniker following 'La Que Sabe'. On this blog you can find a review of 'Maps And Territory' from 2019. Together with his band mates Vincenzo Schillaci and Andrea Chentrens he is responsible for the whole. For his new album he invited ex-Nirvana Chad Channing, who played drums on 'Bleach' and Luca Giovanardi from Italian psych combo Julie’s Haircut for guest stints.

Listening to Apocalypse Is God's Spoiler, the first thing that caught my ear is those African rhythms. Oh, sure, the overall feel of the album is psychedelic rock. There's simply no denying there. Just listening and closing my eyes is enough to go off on a trip. No substance of any kind are needed to go there. The whole sound seems as if a huge bottle of acid sweets were poured over it. The guitars, the drumming, the singing, the way of playing all is totally wavy gravy.

And yet, those drums. JuJu presents a huge drums sound in several of the songs, purely influenced by tribal pounding on drums of whatever kind. The African connection is caught in the band name. Wikipedia tells me that Juju is a musical genre in Nigeria of the Yoruba tribe and a religion from Africa where objects can be used for sorcery. For good and evil. I remember a show from long ago on 'Rockpalast' decades ago by King Sunny Adé and his African Beat that played ju ju music.

This JuJu has not much to do with King Sunny Adé as I remember it though. The Italian JuJu is very much a rock-based band that in some of its songs integrates this big drum sound. While mother nature recordings can be an integral part of an intro that slowly changes to a pumping bass rhythm. This provides Apocalypse Is God's Rhythm with surprising moments but also with variation.

As a whole this album is not only aimed at the head but also at the feet. Expect to move. Whether in your chair, living room or concert venue. JuJu will get you moving, even if it is only within your head.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Apocalypse Is God's Spoiler here:

https://herself1.bandcamp.com/album/juju-apocalypse-is-gods-spoiler