See Where The Music Takes You

“See where the music takes us,” is what Australian hard rock band Wolfmother said when they first started out. And that’s become somewhat of a motto throughout their various ups and downs. The drummer and bassist/keyboardist left the band back in 2008, due to “irreconcilable differences,” both personal and career related. After releasing a solo album, frontman Andrew Stockdale eventually decided to work with new members under the Wolfmother name. Their latest album Victorious, which comes out February 19th, revives the old, upbeat Wolfmother sound with new, catchy guitar riffs and hooks.

It’s quite surprising that each song was completed within one or two days at the recording studio. Instead of rushed sloppiness –which is what we’d expect with this given amount of time– each is an impressive masterpiece. The catchiest song on the album, which adheres to more of a pop style in terms of lyrics, while constantly surprising us with ever-changing, versatile guitar work, is “Simple Life.” The simple line “She’s looking for a simple life” beautifully soars over the heavy guitar chucking, repeatedly expressing this strong, screaming desire. Stockdale once confessed in an interview that his songwriting process is just that –simple. When creating melodies, he says the first thing that comes to mind. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. But for this album, it obviously did.

The track, “Gypsy Caravan,” is probably one of, if not the only, heavy rock songs about wanting a laid-back lifestyle by the ocean. “Won’t you take me to the Gypsy Caravan / We can live together where the ocean meets the sand.” These cool, introspective lyrics were probably derived from Stockdale’s personal life at his beachside house by Byron Bay. But instead of including any reggae beats whatsoever, he stays true to his classic rock style. Further, the track that definitely stands out among the intense, high energy, guitar-rich tunes is “Pretty Peggy.” It’s acoustic, mild, sweet and bears more of a country/folk influence.

Overall, even though Wolfmother has basically become a solo act for Andrew Stockdale, this album is a great listen for the open-minded new and old fans.