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WOLFMOTHER Wolfmother (2006)
More than any other band, Wolfmother remind me of The Grateful Dead but
there are many other influences, such as Witchcraft and The Dandy Warhols,
which gives them a modern twist cleverly moulded into their own distinct
style.
Comprising three members, they are an Australian band whose first EP, again
self-titled, was released in 2004.
The album kicks off with Colossal which reminds me very much of Witchcraft -
it is quite slow and groovy. It has a lovely stop-start riff and it is a
great opener which merely hints at the brilliance of the rest of the album.
The second track, Woman, is pacey and quite punky - The Dandy Warhol style
seems to be more in evidence here, with Grateful Dead keyboards thrown in.
It is catchy and fun and simplistic until the keyboards kick in which add
interest.
White Unicorn is one of the outstanding tracks on the album. Pretty
Rickenbacker-style melodies are interspersed with punkier riffs, all
supported by exceptional drumming. Nor is that all - the track meanders into
a short psychedelic section which leads to a magnificent build ending in a
great drum roll which is one of the best pieces of music of 2005.
So in the first three tracks there is an exceptional demonstration of the
diversity of Wolfmother's style, which is echoed throughout the album and
supported by their use of keyboards and, during Witchcraft, a Jethro
Tull-style penny whistle. There are also hallmarks of their style running
throughout their music - in particular the high, bright guitar sound and
jazz-style drumming which is all their own.
I love this album.
Wolfmother is available from www.modularpeople.com
Wolfmother's website is www.wolfmother.com
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Review by Amanda Hyne
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