BBC Review
Songs soon lose their way in blizzards of fiddly guitar excess.
Jaime Gill 2009-10-20
Given that they’ve lost two-thirds of the original line-up since their surprise hit debut album of 2005, Wolfmother seem remarkably undeterred and unchanged on their second. Singer and guitarist Andrew Stockdale still sounds like he’s trapped forever in 1972, his only hope of escape to rawk his way out, appropriating as many Led Zeppelin riffs as he can to do so. He’s described the making of Cosmic Egg as an “endurance test”: unfortunately, the same could often be said of listening to it.
Of course, criticising Wolfmother for being retro is a little like criticising a shark for having teeth: what did you expect? And at first the record’s more-is-more pile-up of slamming guitars and histrionic vocals is indeed meaty, helped by Stockdale’s exuberant talent as a guitarist. But by the end of the twelfth and final track (more if you’re a vinyl fan and/or masochist) you've been served the same dish so many times it’s like eating Christmas leftovers in January: familiar, stale and slightly depressing.
Stockdale’s passion for the seventies proto-metal he plunders is undeniable, and even contagious at first. California Queen is a savage, pummelling opener which achieves the desired effect of making you feel like you’re speeding through Big Sur on a Harley, while the Free-stealing White Feather is crammed with brilliantly crunchy riffs. By Sundial, however, the ceaseless blustering has become more wearing than endearing, a process culminating in the over-baked In the Castle, an apparent attempt to squeeze all of the most dunderheaded moments of Black Sabbath and Zeppelin into one cliché-strewn song.
There are tantalising moments where Wolfmother try something different. In the Morning begins as a dreamy, Beatles-y reverie, while Far Away announces itself with sweetly chiming guitar, but both soon lose their way in a blizzard of fiddly excess, as though auditioning for a lucrative spot on Guitar Hero 36.
“Did you improve on the design? Did you do something new?” Lupe Fiasco asked on 2007’s scathing Superstar, a question every musician should constantly ask themselves. As for all of Stockdale’s conviction and ability, Cosmic Egg does neither.
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Comment number 1.
At 20:49 31st Oct 2009, edinfang7 wrote:Wow I cannot Believe this review I could do a better review than this. The reviewer Described this album as a Chliche but Thats like saying ACDC are bad because they do the same every album. Remember that this is one of the maybe 5 Big new rockbands So excuse me reviewer if I can listen to this over most other new rockbands
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Comment number 2.
At 21:48 4th Nov 2009, mrnukey wrote:Amen brother
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Comment number 3.
At 10:57 23rd Jan 2010, rootalien wrote:Man, this review has motivated me to sign up just so I could vent! What kind of comment is this ?"you've been served the same dish so many times it’s like eating Christmas leftovers". What would AC/DC fans say to you? What would Wolfmother fans say to you? Queens Of The Stone Age? These are bands that don't sell out, keep their musical influences throughout and think of their love for
music before trying something new because their lable asked them to.
If you don't like 70's metal/hard rock riffage, I'm sorry the BBC had to make you listen to this album. But if you do like that sort of dark, long, effects driven riffage then Cosmic Egg is a brilliant album. Wolfmother are back, went to see them at Brixton Academy and they were ROCKING!
Here is their review for Birmingham http://bit.ly/7QhvJk
Maybe Jaime Gill would prefer to review "quality" music like euphoric trance...
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Comment number 4.
At 15:33 24th Jan 2010, AndyB93 wrote:I don't get all the bad reviews claiming that Wolfmother are "retro" and dated. It's hard to find an album with great riffs and guitar solos like Cosmic egg and it’s a genre I enjoy listening much more than dull dry indie. I don't see it as a negative point that Wolfmother are revisiting a genre gone by I look at it as a great revival and they were amazing when I saw them live at the O2 academy in Leeds. I would say Wolfmothers new album is anything but boring: listen to it; enjoy the riffs and Stockdale’s soaring vocals. I would finally like to add that In the Castle in my opinion is a work of genius and the strongest song on the album.
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