A deluxe edition of Hoodoo was released by BMG on 25 November 2016.[1]
Background
"It's an anger album. There is energy and aggression to the songs. I'd had some shitty break-ups and was in that dark place where you go when you've been embattled. With Hoodoo I was ready to voice it unequivocally."
Having recording her second studio album Raindancing while living in Los Angeles, Moyet returned to live in England after completing a world tour. Moyet's record company, CBS, wanted her to continue producing pop hits, but this left the singer feeling artistically compromised and under pressure to deliver. During the period after returning to England, Moyet began a songwriting partnership with Pete Glenister, who had been Moyet's guitarist for part of the Raindancing tour. Keen to have more artistic freedom, she suggested to CBS that Glenister should produce her. Muff Winwood of the label's A&R division granted Moyet permission to record the album she wanted to. Moyet later recalled in 2007: "In making Hoodoo, we were left to our own devices and found some passion and aggression again. It is not a flawless record... but it became a road that led to my understanding myself much better. It has some songs on it that I am very proud of and favourites, 'It Won't Be Long', 'This House', 'Hoodoo' and chunks of 'Footsteps'."[1][3]
Hoodoo was released in the UK in April 1991 and in America in August that year. Although the album was not as commercially successful as previous efforts, Hoodoo reached No. 11 in the UK and saw moderate chart action in various European countries too.[4] The album's lead single was "It Won't Be Long", which was released in March 1991. Despite gaining extensive airplay, the song peaked at No. 50 in the UK.[5] The second single "Wishing You Were Here" was released in May, reaching No. 72 in the UK. In August, the title track "Hoodoo" was issued as a promotional single solely in the United States.[6] "This House", the album's fourth and final single, was released in September and reached No. 40 in the UK.[4]
Following the album's mixed reception and disappointing sales, Moyet's relationship with CBS became further strained as the label began to lose interest in Moyet.[1] Despite the decline in sales, "It Won't Be Long" received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal performance at the 35th Grammy Awards.[7][8] Although the album failed to chart in the United States, Billboard magazine reported in February 1994 that Hoodoo had sold 85,000 copies.[9]
Upon its release, Jim Arundel of Melody Maker gave a mixed review. He felt that much of the material on Hoodoo failed to live up to the single "It Won't Be Long", which he considered to be "a bit of a masterpiece". He noted, "The voice is as pleasingly raw and exposed as it has ever been and Glenister has kept the edges in the sound, but, unfortunately, the songs are most undistinguished."[16]Stuart Maconie of NME also had a mixed reaction, describing it as "pretty good in parts", including the "very groovy and modern" "It Won't Be Long" and the "splendid" title track, but ultimately "only firing on half its cylinders". He noted that Moyet and her "formidable team" have "fashioned a sound that takes on board a whole cargo of '90s reference points but stays true to Alison's soulful leanings", but felt the album "carr[ies] a lot of ballast; material that, frankly, isn't up to it".[13]
In the US, People felt the album "for the most part charms". They praised Moyet's "amazing voice" and felt it was presented best on the material with "minimal acoustic backing" such as "This House" and "Wishing You Were Here".[17]Musician commented, "Moyet certainly understands style – her gospel shout would be the envy of any Pentecostal choir, while her ballad voice is as naked and soulful as a Nina Simone lament. She also understands that style is meaningless without emotional content. From the anger of 'Rise' to the anguish in 'This House,' that's what keeps this collection from turning into just another singer's showcase."[18]
In a retrospective review of the album, Tom Demalon of AllMusic described it as "possibly her most soulful collection yet" and "another strong offering from the distinctive Moyet". He commented, "She hasn't lost her knack for breezy, adult pop, evident on the lilting, melodic 'Wishing You Were Here' and 'It Won't Be Long,' but tracks like the horn-driven 'Footsteps' and high-energy title song form the core of Hoodoo. With the lyrics squarely focused on relationships, Moyet is often brassy and assertive as on 'Back Where I Belong.' She's still more than capable of expressing heart-aching vulnerability, though, especially on the gorgeous 'This House'."[10]
In a 2016 review of the deluxe edition of Hoodoo, Helena Adams of the music website Reflections of Darkness noted that Hoodoo seemed to be "a cohesive and maybe more authentic album than [Moyet's] previous ventures".[14]Attitude writer Josh Lee described it as "great" and noted the "rawer, more aggressive sound" in comparison to Moyet's previous albums. He likened the change to Kylie Minogue's "switch from pop princess to IndieKylie" but added that Moyet presented "more anger and a brassier soul sound".[19]Gay Times writer Darren Howard described Hoodoo as an album that's "now seen as a modern classic that slightly under-performed". He added, "It's as dark and as angry as Marc Almond at his best but still keeps a pop edge. This is the sound of someone's heart being torn apart and poured out, it has intricate melodies and poetic, dense lyrics that are a million miles away from 'Invisible'."[20]
Jeff Scantlebury – percussion "Footsteps", "Find Me"
Ben Watkins – programming "Footsteps", "Rise", effects (noises) "Wishing You Were Here", effects (Ergasmatron) "(Meeting With My) Main Man", backing vocals "Never Too Late"
^Sexton, Paul (19 February 1994). "Alison Moyet Getting Career Back in Gear With Columbia Set". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 8. pp. 14, 16. ISSN0006-2510 – via Internet Archive.
