Sammy Hagar. Joe Satriani. Michael Anthony. Chad Smith. They’ve all encountered incredible success on their own, but together, they are Chickenfoot. It’s not too often that a group of musicians with 20 or 30 year careers join together to form a new entity, but it’s very refreshing. Of course since the band is a ‘supergroup’, expectations were set very high for their debut album – and rightfully so. Bands like Asia, Bad English, and Damn Yankees have set the bar for debut albums in this department, and upon the first listen to Chickenfoot it’s clear that the standard is achieved – and then some. Some of the songs on this album are exactly what you might expect out of a collaboration involving these musicians given their past, and others are not what you would expect – but that’s the appeal. Chickenfoot has created its own unique sound with this release, and the creativity is already paying off as sales keep it holding steady at #4 on the Billboard 200 for its second week.
It may not be the kind of song the listener expects when first popping in the CD, but “Avenida Revolution” does a fine job of kicking the album into a tight groove with a ’90s influenced sound. It ends with a rough and menacing vocal delivery from Hagar, followed by a bass driven chant. As “Soap on a Rope” breaks into its Montrose style guitar riffing and vocal harmonies done in the style of Van Halen, a harmonious balance of classic and modern is reached. Unearthly screams from Sammy and a stylish solo from Satriani mark the second half of the song and ensure its place on the playlist of radio stations and music listeners alike. A southern tinge comes alive in “Sexy Little Thing“, a song that was truly made for a drive down a long highway on a hot summer day. If the sing-a-long chorus and impressive vocal harmonies aren’t enough, the song offers a stripped and soulful bridge that deserves equal praise.
“Oh Yeah” screams the words ‘radio single’ from the start, and sounds like a natural, more mature progression of Sammy’s party rock creation of the last decade. Chad Smith’s drumming style comes through nicely on this song and becomes a perfect complement to Satriani’s guitar solo. “Runnin’ Out” offers blistering guitar mastery and a bluesy drive, but repetition becomes its downfall and makes it the album’s weakest link. Fortunately, “Give It Up” comes along and is an instant album favorite. Mixing a moody vibe with strong vocals and electrifying shouts of “Arriba! Arriba!” from Hagar, the song adds a melodic middle section and goes out with a bang.
If you weren’t convinced before that Joe Satriani is not only a virtuous, but also a diverse player, “Down the Drain” will certainly do just that. He weaves a tight, dirty sounding groove for the first half of the song, and alternates between a more clean sound and a bluesy, Thorogood style for the rest of it. Marked by mellow and pleasing vocal harmonies, “My Kinda Girl” fits perfectly into its spot on the album. “Learning to Fall” is a song that cools down the album’s tempo, but in a good way. Sammy Hagar gives his best vocal performance yet, his emotive tone effortlessly mingles alongside Satriani’s heartfelt playing. The catchy “Turnin’ Left” starts out sounding like one of those signature Satriani instrumentals, but becomes something much more as soon as Michael Anthony’s backing vocals are brought in. It’s a gritty, yet melodic song that wouldn’t have fit on a Van Halen album, but finds its place on this release. You’ll want to have the speakers turned up for this one while Satriani cuts loose. “Future in the Past” closes with a positive feel that contrasts the opening song. Hagar’s energetic delivery, Satriani’s squealing tone, Anthony’s rich backing vocals, and Smith’s exhaustive drumming are all brought together for a great finish to the album.
In theory, Sammy’s party rock may not seem like the perfect complement to Satriani’s technical guitar approach, but this album makes it work to the satisfaction of the listener, even though the perennial critic may seek out flaws. Satriani shines but doesn’t hog the spotlight, while Sammy keeps things loose – but not too loose. These aren’t to be seen as bitter compromises, but rather as natural occurences that are prompted when working alongside a co-writer. All said, the album delivers on many levels, and will provide a great soundtrack to the rest of the summer and beyond. Let’s hope there’s more to come from Chickenfoot.
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. many thanks