Wolfmother - Wolfmother

Prior to their lives in Wolfmother, Myles Heskett, Chris Ross and Andrew Stockdale worked in graphics, digital production and photography. For the kinetic energy that their debut album has in bundles it's hard to imagine them working in such static professional capturing things in the 2D rather than the full 3D rock'n'roll experience that comes with the sweat dripping off the ceiling and staring right into the soul of an audience member that's enraptured in the riffs and the lyrics.

Lesser journalists may try to create some lineage between Wolfmother and other Australian bands such as The Vines and Jet, but really accents apart the similarities end there. Perhaps the only real signifier of them coming from outside England is that unmoving love for classic rock that if they came from Britain would have to be wrapped up in some ironic gesture ala the Darkness for it to appeal to those cooler than thou indie fashionistas.

From the opening scream and insistent bass riff of "Dimension" there's one rule when listening to Wolfmother. It must be played loud and when you think it's as loud as it will go twist the dial again. Trust us we've tried turning it down and there's nothing that trying to rock out lightly. Slabs of Led Zep and Hendrix riffs are omnipresent but it's all done with such youthful vigour that claims of pastiche's are way off the mark. These guys are too young to have experienced the bands first time round so this is their rock'n'roll delivered through their own vision for the very first time. "Woman" is such a powerful song, 50 a day shredding vocals, riffs that are too fast for Daley Thompson to run to and sound as if they should be sound tracking the new cocaine infused Lucozade advert. When they slow down for "Where Eagles Have Been", a song which manages to take trippy Pink Floyd-esque ambience with the blues purity of Hendrix, they prove that which ever direction they shift in they deliver time and time again. As Stockdale sings "You say this is not the real world, well it seems so real to me" you can really feel the confusion and elated spirit as he records his debut album in LA.

"Joker And The Thief" starts off with whirling trippy atmospherics before heading off into the sort of blues driven rocker that Jack White was really trying to achieve with The Saboteurs. The White Stripes are an reference point which crops up time and time again, the same influences are tapped into but it's more the spirit that it's delivered with rather than the bands sounding identikit. Wolfmother are meatier and fuller formed than the White Stripes ever will be yet both bands are so pure.

"Pyramid" features an interesting effect with the vocals matching the guitar solo note for not creating an eerie Twilight Zone ambience which distracts from the almost banal Gallagher-esque lyrics. "Tales" sounds like a duel between Bob Dylan and Devendra Bandhart, as does "Vagabond", and the bonus track "Love Train" sounds like Jack White fronting Primal Scream.

"Wolfmother" is a genuinely inspirational album that engages you from the start and doesn't let go. While some may rightfully comment on the fact that is 2006, not 1966, it's delivered with such an energy it's impossible not to get taken away with it's youthful spirit. This is an album that features everything you need to know about music from the start of time to the present day and if John Peel was still around you can imagine it would feature heavily in his box of favourite records. You can't get much of a higher recommendation than that

Alex McCann

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