Listen to "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" on Bandcamp
Addiction is a distressing albeit complex subject. It has been written about in books by the Beat Generation authors of the 1950s. So when rock-n-roll music became more mainstream around the same time, the genre naturally became a vessel for narration and criticism of the unspoken, difficult but still present topics of society. A classic example of this is the Gil Scott-Heron classic “Home Is Where The Hatred Is” from 1971. Now, fifty years past, London-based band Ese & The Vooduu People have released their version of the song.
This is not the first Ese & The Vooduu People song to take on difficult subjects: in fact, the band’s debut single from 2017 “Fairytale” opens with the lines
“Nobody told you that this country ain’t free,
That pigs don’t fly,
And money don’t grow on trees
But I would rather believe in a fairytale”
“Fairytale” describes how people try to look past how everyone has struggles, but it does not make the struggles vanish. A similar theme can be found throughout the band’s debut album Up in Smoke from 2019. The self-titled opening track is the story of a musician who takes comfort in knowing she will play music, while dealing with being homeless. The vulnerability of homelessness on the streets of London appears again on a track on the second half of the album - “Silver Spoon” which was released as the band’s second single. “Silver Spoon” is an ode to being alone on the streets, abandoned by friends, digging through rubbish cans for food, and sleeping in doorways just to survive.
Knowing this, it makes perfect sense why Ese & The Vooduu People would cover “Home Is Where The Hatred Is”. Throughout the band’s history, they share similar lyrical subjects and, musically, both artists share a soul-infused rock-n-roll genre. “Home Is Where The Hatred Is” covers addiction, rejection, abandonment, and other subjects that often get swept under the rug.
Ese & The Vooduu People keep the poetic soul of the original. Where keyboards shined brightly on the original, a flute feature by jazz flutist Gareth Lockrane is a strong element. Ese & The Vooduu People have written similar songs themselves - where a simmering ballad quickens into energy and emotion; “Grey,” an over 7 minute long track from the band’s debut album, is another great example of this.
Listening to the Gil Scott-Heron original is an experience that will leave you with shivers by the end, and I was delighted that you get the same with the Ese & The Vooduu People’s cover! Ese’s vocals are emotional and soulful. The band has created an extended version at just under 7 minutes with a flute solo that compliments the music style and reflects the vocal melodies. That sizzling soul from the original has been transmitted to now, 50 years later, and I believe that Ese & The Vooduu People have done the original justice.
“Home Is Where The Hatred Is” is the first single released from the upcoming ‘Tainted Love’ EP which is to be released in Spring 2022.