Album Review: Wolfmother - Wolfmother (2006) B-

Sounds Like: The White Stripes, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath

Australia's newest export is the power-trio Wolfmother, who really have very little to offer in the innovation department. Unlike homage-rockers-in-arms The Darkness, Wolfmother appear to being playing things straight. Their sound has been described as a throwbackto Led Zepellin and Black Sabbath, althouth I hear a lot more White Stripes than either of those two legends.

This is one of those annoying records that people who aren't into heavy metal will, upon hearing that you are a metalhead, instantly recommend you listen to and chastise you when you don't. Meaning it's good to the undiscriminating, but 'the trues,' as James Hetfield would put it, know better.

The songs (and there are no standouts, so to speak) do harken back to early 70s rock, chunky blues riffs, wailing Plant-meets-Jack White vocals. And yes, you'll think Led Zep more than once, but in reality, I couldn't escape the notion that Wolfmother is really The White Stripes with longer, more progged-out songs, and to be honest, one of the reasons I enjoy The White Stripes is their brevity.

This is a solid if unmemorable and unoriginal effort. Good if you love The White Stripes brand of stripped-down rock or if you really think Deep Purple could've cranked out another album or two before Gillian left. But for the rest of us, we'll stick to the originals.