An awe-inspiring and astonishing event took place in 2004: Australian band Wolfmother dropped out of the sky aboard a groovy, intergalactic time capsule from the late '60s. The band was immediately embraced upon landing and its self-titled album, released in 2006, garnered the group critical acclaim for its sexy, modernized-throwback, hard rock sound. A feature in the video game Guitar Hero 2 cemented Wolfmother's iconic rocker status.
The power trio combined psychedelic lyrical imagery and heavy metal riffs to create music that was not astoundingly unique but was nonetheless impressive in scope and influence. Then two band members walked away from the group, leaving only front man/guitarist Andrew Stockdale to keep Wolfmother alive.
Stockdale returns with a new album, "Cosmic Egg" (2009), that elegantly expands on the group's original formula and features contributions from some new faces.
The album begins with head-nodder "California Queen." Stockdale keeps the lyrics spaced out, lamenting a mysterious female figure "who slipped off into the slip stream" while still finding time to stand in front of a rainbow. The song starts off playfully with a simple two-chord structure that is upbeat and frenetic and eventually slows down into an epic four-chord jam.
Stockdale, whose voice is comparable to a more gifted (or a less inebriated) Ozzie Osbourne, effortlessly hits all the high notes, and has all the braggadocio and charisma that a rock band front man should. He's also a superbly talented guitarist, hammering out menacing chords with the passion of a young Pete Townshend.
His combination of technical guitar prowess and soulful singing is so powerful that he becomes an astral mage who teleports listeners to the next dimension. He genuinely believes in the cosmic world that his music creates, and listeners can't help but believe in it, too. Stockdale is as much a benevolent tour guide as he is his musical world's creator.
Many songs on the album feature mythic and ancient themes. "10,000 Feet" transports listeners to the medieval 16th century, when "even the people so small/ Wanna see the tryant a fall." The band only takes a break from days of old when wailing about the heartbreak of love and love lost, as on songs "Far Away" and "Caroline."
It is significant to note that the Wolfmother we hear on this second album is an entirely new band. Curly-haired Stockdale did what any resolute rocker would do and picked up three new members to keep the ship floating.
The newly established quartet maintains the hard-rock aesthetic of their predecessors, but does little to accentuate or detract from the sound that Stockdale is trying to create. It's obvious that Stockdale is the driving force behind the ensemble. The only obvious shake-up in sound is the addition of a Rhodes piano on several tracks, adding a contemplative texture and melody to some of the less aggressive songs.
All of the tracks on the album clock in at over three minutes, which works for Wolfmother's style: epic rock ballads that take listeners on a journey through time and space. The cuts from this new album are similar in length to Wolfmother's early work, but are better composed and structured.
Wolfmother is undeniably influenced by myriad classic bands, and is at its best when it is using this influence to create a fresh sound that is still grounded in rock tradition. But, at times, the group is simply recreating the music of its rock predecessors. While the band's first album "Wolfmother" was a bit rough around the edges, "Cosmic Egg" shows that Wolfmother's formula has been refined — with mixed consequences. The songs on this fresh album will have you pumping your fist and tapping your toes, but don't expect your ears to be stimulated by novel rock ideas.