Chickenfoot by Chickenfoot (Redline/EU 2009)
From left: Chad Smith, Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony.
Verdict: 9/10
As Rock and Roll falls deep into the dark realms of Tartarus screaming “HEEELLLP!!”, an endless number of bands try to pull it back out, but only one gives the hardest tug. It’s undoubtedly Chickenfoot. It’s what you get when you add a Crazy Funk/Metal Improvisationalist drummer playing for more than two decades, The best and most noticeable guitarist in general of all time, a legendary hardened rock vocalist with serious chances of getting Bronchitis and one of the fastest and most experienced bassists ever to have played on a stage.
And as Joe Satriani belts out some riffs off the top of his head sitting coolly in his house going “We aren’t a supergroup!!” you know he’s lying. I was grossly mistaken about TCV, because THIS is the most Super any Supergroup can ever get.
There’s obviously no question of talent in this band, and though I expected it, no nuances amongst the members of the band as well. However, Chad Smith and Satch have pretty much bringing most of the marble that was sculpted to make this album. The music has undoubtedly Joe-Satriani-ish guitar riffs, and the labyrinthine drum beats can only be the work of Smith, who most probably made them up while recording the song. I noticed, however, the music may be mostly Satriani and Smith influenced, even then Sammy Hagar’s voice provided that extra kick that was needed to make this one of the best hard rock albums I have ever heard.
“Oh Yeah”, their much-anticipated single was incredible, but moreover, the talents of each musician could be heard separately, and it all blended in amazingly. First singles of most rock bands aren’t that good, and it was about time an exception came along. “Soap On A Rope” is probably the only perfect hard rock song I’ve heard till date; it even uses the classic “Stop-all-instruments-while-singing-in-the-verse” technique, typical of Sammy Hagar.
“Sexy Little Thing”, another single from the album, starts out with an exotic little guitar riff, but thankfully goes back to what this album is about. Sammy Hagar has a lot of fun in all of the tracks; especially in this one, where he gives a little “Woo!” here, and a little “Yeah!” there, Michael Jackson style. Not as high-pitched, but the idea’s the same.
Well, another hard rock album, not a disappointment for sure. The band’s getting back together after RHCP finishes their new album (can’t wait, as obvious) and I eagerly await their further work.
I need to look for some bad albums now…
