Part of what made Wolfmother's 2005 debut stand out was that the band wasn't afraid to embrace stupidity with a straight face. Here was a group of dudes that grabbed onto some of the most ridiculous aspects of psychedelic hard rock and held them close - fantastical cover art, druggy influences, blistering riffs, a Plant-esque howl and nonsensical lyrics: "She's a woman, you know what I mean/ You better listen, listen to me/ She's gonna set you free."
Did it make sense? No. Was it probably about fucking? Yes. Did you love it? Of course you did! It was the perfect soundtrack to turn up loud and stomp around your apartment like a Neanderthal while nobody's home.
Four years later, the trio is now a quartet (with bandleader Andrew Stockdale the sole original member) and while many of the same elements that made Wolfmother a success are here, overall the album doesn't quite add up. Stockdale's songwriting isn't up to the level of their debut (and he wasn't exactly crafting poetry there) and many of the riffs are weaker this time out, making it more difficult to divert the listener's attention from cliché-ridden lyrics.
Despite some high points, there's more than a few misguided attempts to broaden their sound, most notably the gratuitous power ballad "Far Away" ("I believe that love is gonna last forever/ And it's all within my mind") and "In The Morning," which begins like bad Oasis before building to a guitar-soaked conclusion. Neither achieves their transcendent aims (though of the two "Far Away" comes closer) and they're an ill-advised step away from what Stockdale does best.
For sure, Cosmic Egg has its memorable moments: the simple "New Moon," propulsive opener "California Queen" and "Phoenix," initially driven forward by a throbbing bassline until coming to fruition while Stockdale yelps about phoenixes rising and giving way to an extended guitar solo.
It seems unfair to criticize an album for not being stupid enough, but that's the case here. The primordial trudge and explosive riffs still make appearances, but they're largely undercut by attempts at musical growth - something it initially seemed Wolfmother rejected the very idea of.
(Originally posted 11/18/09 @ Spectrum Culture)
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