Album review: VOODOO RAMBLE – In The Heart Of The City

July 23rd, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

www.voodooramble.com [Release date 01.07.25]

Slowly but surely over the past few years our Blues Rock/Features Editor Pete Feenstra has been supplying lyrics and melodic ideas to a number of significant artists in the current blues rock scene. This is Pete’s third album collaboration with Croatian guitarist Boris Zamba and it’s a clever combination for a bandleader whose native tongue is not English. The album also follows a trend for blues rock artists to widen their palette and, frankly, to plug into more radio friendly tunes.

So, whilst blues rock driven, ‘In The Heart Of The City’ should appeal to a wider audience. Yes, there’s maybe something familiar about the chord structures and the subject matter but it’s all very well executed. The only thing missing from our copy are Pete’s lyrics!

The upbeat title track sets the scene and has some excellent backing vocals from Ana Cakovic and Ana-Maria Ocvirk. ‘Take You Home’ has an almost ‘Love The One You’re With’ vibe. Another standout ‘Midnight Ride’ features Wishbone Ash alumni Muddy Manninen on lap steel guitar. Neil Young comes to mind here.

Boris reasserts his own credentials on ‘I’m A Bluesman Baby’ (with Mick Pini on guitar) whilst another talented player Marcus Flynn contributes to ’4000 Years Old’.

‘Don’t Leave Me 4 Good’ (with added brass section) turns the clock back to a golden period for blues rock; the early 1990s when the likes of Gary Moore and Jonny Lang captured the genre with a swing and a swagger. The brass also punctuates another upbeat rocker ‘Cold Hearted Woman’.

It might be no coincidence that Pete’s lyrics appear on the more radio friendly songs and ‘In The Heart Of The City’ might push Zamba further to explore this crossover potential. In the meantime, well done Boris, well done Pete! ****

Review by David Randall

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 16 November 2025.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This 600th show was first broadcast on 18 November 2025

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