This band started receiving some real hype late last year. I heard their Dimensions ep a few months ago and although I liked I do have to admit to being surprised that these guys were getting so much attention in the indie rock scene. Well, now the self titled album from this Australian three piece has been released here in the states and we can see if these guys are for real or not.
I guess the major questions should be:
Are they anything new?
Do they live up to their hype?
Are they any good?
Who do they sound like?
My answers are:
Not exactly.
Yes, to some extent they do.
Yes, they certainly are.
The major influence is Led Zeppelin with touches of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Blue Cheer thrown in. The singer sounds like a cross between Robert Plant and Lizzy Borden.
For some reason this band seems to be getting a real push towards indie rock fans, but it's certainly heavily influenced by classic early 1970's hard rock bands with some of their own energy thrown in. Not all that original in some ways, but they make it work. Most of the songs are short and cut directly to the meat of the song and this works for me. There are a few songs that might start off a bit heavy handed or may be a little too strong on the Zeppelin riffs, but in the end they pull it off by not trying to be serious and by throwing in some nice hooks and taking control of the pace of the songs. It certainly has a fuzzy tone to it and oftentimes a spacey feel that makes the album sound more like an album from say 1973 rather sounding like a band that is just influenced by 70's music.
My only real problem with this band and I may be nitpicking by saying this but here it goes. They are getting pushed hard to indie rock fans rather metal fans or even classic rocks. I don't mind that, but what I mind is that there are plenty of bands who are labeled stoner rock who have playing this 1970's fuzzed out hard rock for years. Yes, Wolfmother are different from these bands in some ways. However it irks me a bit that I sure a number of critics are going to praise these guys as doing something revolutionary without giving an mention or acknowledgment to an entire sub-genre of bands who are doing this style of music while getting no hype and very little notice from the mainstream. Yes, perhaps I am being petty, but I feel better now that I said it. Having said that, I must say that this an interesting and fun album that may not be for everyone, but I like it a lot and plan on giving it a lot of spins in the upcoming months.
Hi, I agree with you to some extent. I heard a few of their songs and for me they are good. I think Wolfmother will get a lot of genuine publicity. This might renew interest in 70s style hard rock and force bands like GNR to release their long-delayed album. I feel a lot of bands hyped as nu-metal is just shit. If Wolfmother can revive true metal, that will be fine.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard anything by them. I will have to give it a listen. It is rare that a band that is so hyped can come close to the hype.
ReplyDeleteMantra35-Axl said in a radio interview the other day that his album will be out in the fall. We will see.
ReplyDeleteFuzz-The cd was at Target and Wal-mart in the section s normally set aside for big releases. Doesn't happen a whole lot for a band's first lp. So someone in the music business must really believ in them.
V and D- They are tighter then I thought they would be. They are a bit heavier and more raw than Jet. They have a definite Zeppelin influence, but the song are shorter and they seem to have some fire of their own.
The amazing part of the band isn't that it's revolutionary or paving a path, but that it is so inexplicably POPULAR. What the freaking hell? A 70s style rock band kicking it with the mallcore and ultra-airbrushed divas on major music stations? That, in itself, is somewhat of an accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteIf this stuff hits the pop charts, I will say a prayer to whatever deity has decided that real music may once again exist on the radio. It's nothing special, it just freaking ROCKS.