I have heard the new Wolfmother album `Cosmic Egg`. So how does it sound, you ask?
As everyone seemed to speak of the first Wolfmother album by the acts that influenced the band, then lets stay with that logic for a sec.Of the 12 tracks, I can describe the album as 1. Deep Purple, 2. Black Sabbath 3. Led Zeppelin (Houses of the Holy era), 4. Led Zeppelin (IV era), 5. Led Zeppelin (3 era ballad), 6. Metallica (Sad But True), 7. ZZ Top/Uriah Heep 8. Ozzy ballad 9. Purple/Heap, 10. Purple organ start, Zep guitar riff, Ozzy vocal 11. Slight Hawkwind 12. Pink Floyd (Comfortably Numb).
If you liked the first Wolfmother album you will like Cosmic Egg even more. As a complete piece, it is consistently stable.
Unlike the second Jet album, Wolfmother have maintained the sound they started with and slightly evolved the influences. In track 8 ‘Far Away’ and track 11 ‘Phoenix’ they are slowing heading towards their own sound.
Track 12 ‘Violence of the Sun’ was my personal highlight. As I mentioned, very Pink Floyd, extremely ‘Comfortably Numb’ in feel and Andrew Stockdale perfects that beacon of a hard rock band, the scream.
’10,000 Feet’ was a surprise. That’s the one I felt was moving towards where Metallica landed on ‘Sad But True’. The title track ‘Cosmic Egg’ at track 7 was the one that starts off with a bit of a ZZ Top guitar boogie before getting back to the Wolfmother ‘Uriah Heepesque’ comfort zone.
Wolfmother have a lot hanging on the success of this record. Consider it almost like a debut. Andrew Stockdale split with his two founders and this completely new band featuring Ian Peres on bass/keys, Aidan Nemeth on guitar and Dave Atkins on drums. He has managed to do so yet keep the integrity of the sound intact.
The album was conceived with Alan Moulder in Byron Bay before the band transplanted themselves to Los Angeles for the proper recording.
The first single will be ‘New Moon Rising’ It’s out on August 14. ‘Cosmic Egg’ will be released on October 9.
Tracklisting
1. California Queen
2. New Moon Rising
3. White Feather
4. Sundial
5. In The Morning
6. 10,000 Feet
7. Cosmic Egg
8. Far Away
9. Pilgrim
10. In The Castle
11. Phoenix
12. Violence Of The Sun
