Album Review: Wolfmother — Cosmic Egg

Wolfmother

Cosmic Egg
Modular Records
www.wolfmother.com

When two of the founding members of Australian rock trio Wolfmother abandoned ship in August 2008, leaving lead singer Andrew Stockdale and a small collection of new material mired in uncertainty, many wondered not only about the future of the group, but when said material would see the light of day. Nearly 15 months after the setback, Wolfmother is pressing on with a new lineup, and have finally released their second album, Cosmic Egg.

As was the case with their eponymous debut album, the band has taken a trip back to days of '70s psychedelia, tapping into the sounds of slow-burning stoner rock and adding their own modern twist. However, unlike Wolfmother — which served as a wonderfully crafted throwback to groups like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin — this latest release has unfortunately overdosed a little bit on the sounds of present-day rock, taking on more of a polished, modern-rock-radio-friendly vibe at times.

Tracks like the first single “New Moon Rising” and “10,000 Feet,” while still listenable, detract from the sort of classic rock feel that one would expect upon purchasing the album. “Far Away,” which easily serves as the weakest track on the album, takes too much of an emo turn, to the point that the song would almost be more fitting coming out of the Bravery's The Sun and the Moon.

With that in mind, Cosmic Egg is still the type of album that can grow on you. Lyrics of mythical creatures and kingdoms, coupled with Stockdale's recognizable wailing (which comes across as a strange fusion of Robert Plant and Jack White), help the album retain some of Wolfmother's better qualities, while serving as a reminder of how much better the first album was.