Wolfmother

Picking up where I left off, I recently bought the CD to the band Wolfmother. I heard the song "Woman" and was impressed by the proto-Zeppelin riff and Robert Plantish wail. I couldn't believe a band would be that retro in this day and age, I hadn't heard such lavish imitation since the Black Crowes broke out. I heard a second song, "Mind's Eye" which echoed early Pink Floyd's style of haunted balladry. Both songs had a strong presence in them which motivated me to check them out.

It took me a little while to digest this album, because like The Darkness before them it's hard to get around the derivitiveness of it all. Yes, this band rocks hard like its 1972. Yes, they are influenced by many of the great hard rock bands of the early 70's. Yes, I like this album. But, why don't I love it?

As much as I enjoy Wolfmother, it comes down to the fact that this music is more a concept than a group right now. Aside from the blatant Led Zep influence, bits of classic rock are strewn across the album. The Bad Company riff used on "White Unicorn", the Dylan lyrical nod in "Joker & The Thief" and the Rush like song titles ("Vagabond", "Dimension" and "Colossal" to name a few) are dead give aways.

This made the album easier to enjoy in parts instead of as a whole. The first two songs you hear at any point in the album will impress with its heavy classic rockness, but after that the predictability of the album becomes a little boring. I think this band has a lot of potential, but right now I'm giving them a 6 out of 10.