Wolfmother’s 2006 debut release, Wolfmother, rocked the music world and showed that there is more to the Australian music scene than just AC/DC and Silverchair. However, their newest album, Cosmic Egg, is sure to secure Wolfmother as a powerful, worldwide musical act.
Upon listening to the opening track, “California Queen,” it is evident that Wolfmother has found a better sense of direction than they had exhibited on their self-titled debut. This is mostly in part of the addition of a second guitarist to complete singer Andrew Stockdale’s quartet. Stockdale, being the only original member of the band, shows tremendous growth as both a singer and guitarist. On the heavy “Sundial,” which interludes from a funk’d-out-wah to a light piano chord, Stockdale soars to new heights through an earsplitting chorus into a remarkable guitar solo. Though despite consisting of mainly heavy tracks throughout the beginning of the album, including the fuzzy, sludgy riffs of “10,000 Feet” and “Cosmic Egg,” tension is released in “Far Away.” A light guitar is backed by Stockdale’s vocals that are sung in what seems like a wide-open room; a feeling for how dense this song really is. An acoustic guitar provides rhythm throughout the duration of the song, most notably through the shrill chorus “I believe that love is gonna last forever/And it’s all within my mind, and it’s all within my mind,” and is topped with an absconding piano solo. After catching your breath, you are immediately thrown into the Black Sabbath-influenced “Pilgrim.” The song features quick power chords topped with the signature Stockdale “Oh!” However, the biggest surprise of the entire album comes with the unforgettable tempo change and riff halfway into the song. Immediately, visions of fans in jam-packed arenas jumping simultaneously up and down comes to mind, as Stockdale’s vocals try to overpower the commanding guitar riff. The album politely ends with the mighty “Violence of the Sun” which serves as a representation of Wolfmother’s career so far: mellow rock with a dramatic shift to a more potent sound.
It was no mistake that Wolfmother chose the album art to Cosmic Egg to feature a giant cracked egg hovering over a body of water amongst dark clouds and a rainbow as a small boy stares in awe at this miraculous sight. Symbolically, this is exactly how the listener feels upon experiencing this album: in complete and utter shock to this Aussie band’s miraculous sophomore effort. Wolfmother has truly defied the laws of hard rock, as Cosmic Egg is an unforgettable and compelling record.
