YOURZ
Okay, I'm gonna do my damndest to avoid using any of the cliched descriptions that have been used to describe Wolfmother in the past. Nope, you won't read that they sound like a cross between Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Nor will you see me saying Stockdale takes his vocal cues from a combination of Chris Cornell and Robert Plant, with a little Jack White thrown in the mix. I won't mention stoner rock, blues rock, Kyuss or Hendrix either.
Now, with all those unmentionables out of the way, lets talk about Cosmic Egg. Erm... Well, it rocks like... ah, nope, can't say that. They rock out like... can't say that either. And Stockdale's voice, well... Bugger it!
Okay, how about I try it this way. If you like any of the bands above, in any form, then you will dig Wolfmother. They are, with a doubt, one of the best revivalist rock bands in the world. Some of the biggest names in music profess to be fans and they attract an unusal amount of attention from b-list celebrities as well. But then, I suppose any road to success is a good road.
VERDICT: TURN IT UP
MINE
I suppose the advent of Wolfmother won't deter any of those boys who want their own version of Led Zeppelin from doing it - but it should. This is how it should be.
How can I tell? Because while I was listening to this CD it really didn't matter what volume I used, low or soft, I could clearly hear the lyrics and understand what was being sung, while at the same time enjoying every layer of A-grade rawk accompanying them. OK, this type of music isn't generally a favourite of mine, but I had no difficulty listening to any of these songs from beginning to end.
It's good music, done well. Now, will all those other spotty boys trying to do the same thing pay attention? Probably not.
VERDICT: TURN IT UP
For more information: http://www.wolfmother.com/
Great reviews! It's impossible to review a Wolfmother albums without making the inevitable comparisons. I think these guys are great, they may not be incredibly original, but what they do, they do extremely well. I did like their debut album more, but Cosmic Egg has definitely grown on me.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they get enough appreciation over here in the US, but I'm sure in Australia they get the love they deserve. When I saw them open up for The Killers about a year ago, nearly nobody around me knew who they were. I don't understand how a band as talented as Wolfmother goes unnoticed, but sadly they do. I just wish the original lineup had remained intact - they had such an amazing stage presence live (especially Chris Ross), although the new lineup is great live too.
Jeff, like you, I'm disappointed the original band is no longer together. But from what I've read, it came down to that old chestnut 'musical differences'. I'm glad Andrew Stockdale is still doing what he does as he does it very well but I thought Chris Ross, particularly, was a great presence.
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