Review - Sammy Hagar's Chickenfoot Debut
Chickenfoot's Self-titled Debut Album Leaves Listeners Disappointed
Jun 24, 2009
Rock music’s newest addition consists of a supergroup with an unlikely name, Chickenfoot. The band’s members are veteran rockers Joe Satriani (guitar), Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith (drums), and Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar (vocals) and Michael Anthony (bass.)
Chickenfoot Album Release
Chickenfoot released its self-titled debut album on June 5, 2009. Enclosed in special “heat sensitive” packaging, the black cover changes color when touched to reveal photos of the musicians underneath. According to the band’s website, “The Thermochromic ink was utilized to make the album package look different at all times, depending on the room temperature or body contact, making every album cover unique.”
The album debuted at #1 and #4 on Billboard’s Indie and Album charts. The first single, “Oh Yeah,” is listed at #26 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Impressions of the Music
Considering the talent of the band’s individual members, it is impossible to avoid having high expectations of the album. After listening to it, however, one may find himself dissatisfied.
The single, “Oh Yeah,” opens with Satriani’s aggressive guitar work, but the lyrics quickly disappoint. The song boasts great rhythm and arrangement, but lacks the mainstream radio appeal one is accustomed to from such accomplished musicians. A song that is less than good but more than mediocre, “Oh Yeah” will probably not be found at the top of the charts.
Selections such as “Soap on a Rope” and “Get it Up” prove guitarist Satriani and drummer Smith are able to deliver, but the songs simply don’t move the listener overall. Like “Oh Yeah,” they lack the stellar lyrical content needed to match the blazing guitar solos and drum beats.
While the songs on the album are neither great nor terrible, they leave a forgettable first impression. Given the caliber the musicians’ individual bodies of work, one expects more. Most of the songs sound as if they should be performed by a mediocre band with much lesser musical talent than that of the Chickenfoot members.
The Saving Grace
The only redemption for the album is Satriani’s hot guitar riffs. Taken alone, the guitar work is great. In fact, some rock magazines even compare Satriani’s work on the Chickenfoot album to that of Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page. While his playing is impressive, it is a far cry from Page’s signature masterpieces. Nevertheless, Satriani’s contribution is definitely a welcome addition considering the mediocrity of the Chickenfoot album overall.
Although Chickenfoot’s individual members have been overly successful in previous rock endeavors, their debut collection is somewhat disappointing. Listeners hoping to find music comparable to that of Van Halen or the Red Hot Chili Peppers are left without the heavy hitting sound which they crave. The members of Chickenfoot are better off sticking to their individual projects, which have proven to be highly successful throughout the years, than coming together for this marginal debut.
 |
