Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg Review

Posted by Daniel Wilcox on 10.29.2009

Andrew Stockdale is backed by a new band, but Wolfmother packs the same punch and then some.



Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg
Review by Daniel Wilcox

Andrew Stockdale – vocals, guitar
Ian Peres – bass, keyboard
Aidan Nemeth – rhythm guitar
Dave Atkins - drums

Track listing:
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

A hell of a lot has gone down in the Wolfmother camp since the band’s debut album received such great critical acclaim upon its release in 2005. Chris Ross (bass) and Myles Heskett (drums) left the band due to “irreconcilable differences” leaving Andrew Stockdale as the only remaining member. Since then, Andrew recruited three new members and attempted to rebrand the band as White Feather. Well that never took off so Stockdale and co. are back, still under the Wolfmother moniker, and still with the same signature sound that borrows from some of the biggest bands in the history of rock music. Sophomore effort Cosmic Egg sees new members Peres, Nemeth and Atkins seamlessly entering the Wolfmother family and the band as a whole picking up exactly where the original trio left off. It’s worth mentioning however, that Cosmic Egg was originally planned to be a double album, according to Stockdale, and I’m going to go on record in saying that two discs of this would have been just too much. As it is though, this album is just right.

One of the things that really strike me about this album is how much the lyricism has improved. While the band’s debut featured lyrics that were solid enough and good in places, it relied on clichés and more often than not the music itself was infinitely better than the words being sung. On Cosmic Egg, the music still ultimately prevails, but the lyrical worth is that much stronger than before and thus far more noticeable. On the free-spirited “In the Morning,” Stockdale croons “When you wake up in the morning and look into their eyes / Everything you’re dreaming of is far beyond the skies,” and “Standing in front of the rainbow / Could you tell me where do all the people go? / Rising in front of the mystic haze / Standing in front of all creation,” he ponders on the rocking opener “California Queen.” It’s nothing groundbreaking or revolutionary, but the predominantly introspective nature of Stockdale’s words generally makes for a much more interesting record than its predecessor.

About two years ago, Stockdale did say that this album would be “epic,” and he’s definitely not wrong. Stockdale and co. borrow from an eclectic group of inspirations on Cosmic Egg, such as Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, U2 and Oasis, in order to produce a modern-day classic. Indeed Stockdale’s own mammoth vocal sounds almost like an amalgamation of Robert Plant The White Stripes’ Jack White, noticeably on the huge “New Moon Rising.” The guitar work on this album is similarly inspired, Stockdale and Nemeth more often than not being the driving force behind the songs, and on tracks like “10,000 Feet,” they provide an intricate set of riffs and licks that even Jimmy Page would be proud of. While there are plenty of songs here that would likely perform well on the radio, there’s still an abundance of lengthy guitar solos for fans to sink their teeth into. In fact this album, named after a yoga position, is perhaps influenced more by Sabbath than Zeppelin, as this album is harder and faster than the band’s debut. The entire album is ballsy and high-octane, and a real accomplishment for the band.

The aforementioned “New Moon Rising,” driven by its Queens of the Stone Age-esque low–string riff and unaccompanied drum breaks, is a real highlight of the record, as is the bluesy groove of “White Feather.” The sonic vibes of “In the Castle” and the ballads “In the Morning” and “Far Away” are also huge tracks and represent some of the best work that the band has ever produced. While the influences are obvious, this band is still making tremendous music that may not rival the band’s obvious idols’ best work, but it makes for one hell of a tribute.

Essential downloads: “California Queen,” “New Moon Rising,” “White Feather,” “In the Morning,” “10,000 Feet,” “Far Away,” “In the Castle” and “Violence of the Sun.”

The 411: Far surpassing the heights of the band's debut, Cosmic Egg is a far-reaching album that just about manages to hit that epic territory Stockdale was going for. Packed full of impressive guitar work and fantastic vocal work, it's an album that does not break any new ground, but does take a proven formula and come pretty close to perfecting it. As far as straight up rock and roll goes, this is some of the absolute best 2009 has to offer.

Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]