Dr Wook releases ‘Streetcrawler’, with launch gig, on the 29th of April.
Kris Douglas is likely going to be a familiar face to regular gig-goers in Inverness with his past history as the frontman with The Whiskys and with his most recent incarnation as Dr Wook. The latter project is where he has cemented a justifiably high reputation as a compelling and versatile performer. This, his first release with IMOUT Records, goes some way to prove that the hype is correct.
Gigs we’ve reviewed in the past have garnered high praise from our writers and it’s always interesting to see whether the live energy of a show can be reproduced in the studio. But where The Whiskys fell foul of this particular trap (the studio recordings nowhere near replicating what you saw live) Dr Wook comes out unscathed if not a little triumphant. The quality of the recording doesn’t lose too much of the live feel and nicely showcases the talents of Kris and his backing band.
In the Streetcrawler EP, IMOUT Records have captured the essence of the man. The title track is a moody piece, heavy on the reverb with the addition of a full live band giving more attack but without drowning out Kris’ vocals which switch from plaintive to heartfelt and back again. ‘Time Will Tell’ will be familiar to anyone who has seen Dr Wook perform recently, and again, the addition of drums, extra guitar and bass gives the song more punch and continues in the moody vein of the opening EP track.
If the two tracks that we’ve been given a sneak preview of are anything to go by then the EP will follow on from the high standard set by label-mates Lional. The fledgling label has a good ear for music and I await with keen interest to see what else comes our way.
DR. WOOK & THE VOLTAIC DISORDER will perform at the special record launch party at Bogbain Farm, Inverness-shire on Friday 29th April.
Support comes from Stetsonhead as well as a loop set from Iain McLaughlin
Tickets go on-sale at 10:00am Friday 4th of March and are available in person from Union Vinyl (Inverness) and online via www.ticketsource.co.uk/imoutrecords
