Long story short, I'm a huge Sammy Hagar fan. So while this blog doesn't normally dedicate this blog to a track-by-track review of new releases, this week you're in a treat. Song titles will link to audio/video.
Mostly acoustic blues about the world state of affairs. Nothing specific, but just throwing out negativity with his declaration “world keep revvin’ up, I be winding down”. The classic Taj Mahal joins Sammy to lend a deeper tone to the vocal, but Sammy’s is really the keen voice here, belting out a classic blues/soul scream. Thick and authentic.
Written by the lead singer of the band I just saw open for Sammy, Rival Sons, this is an ’80 hard rock dirge that reminded me of Dokken’s “Heaven Sent”. The lyric has a fighter’s tenacity theme. While a couple of Sammy’s Montrose teammates join on the track, there also an overbearing girl group vocal which sounds like one line was recorded once and just punched in. For a tune otherwise grungy and earthy, the chorus turns it fake and sterile.
This is the one that is going to be the biggest talk among my circle of friends. Yes, a real live Depeche Mode cover. Including his Chickenfoot bandmates, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith, with guitar by Journey’s Neal Schon. …And I’m sure those friends will hate the ever-loving shit out of this. But it’s not at all bad. A blues shuffle with a call-and-response gospel background vocal. The shuffle, the jam. That part’s good, excellent even. The gospel chorus, the same girls on the last track…. need to go.
Based on the French Polynesian sounds that overcame Sammy on a vacation, this track sounds like a rocked-up Lumineers. Lyrically, the song is a simple good morning beach sun worship tune. The vocal Is a little too clean with this one, though. As If the his regular rasp wasn’t going to be as courting to radio.
This song is a typical Hagar rocker, and those usually take some time to grow on me. Sometimes they take on a better feel in a live scenario. This has a feel somewhere between a Marilyn Manson joint and “Mas Tequila”. Why there’s six fucking songwriters to compose a track that’s little more than “Hey” is beyond me – but I’m nonetheless glad that it’s under 200 seconds long. The worst song on the record should be the shortest song. And one of those writers isn’t even the duet partner, Kid Rock. He couldn’t drum up his own boxing-as-rock-music metaphor. Joe Satriani, too appears for a solo that’s fine but adds no real value.
The Bob Seger cover worked well when I saw it live last summer. It’s a little too careful here. I mean, this is a simple Detroit skank strut song. And David Lauser is successfully bringing the big beat. But the guitars should be way more out front and Sammy should be as amped up as he is on track one. It’s fun, but I’m still going to prefer my Live Bullet version.
A country-ish car tune, written by a couple of country dudes. This one has a fun swing to it. I didn’t need the Dunn of Brooks & Dunn to join in, but then I guess we’d lose the reason for the occasion. The song isn’t unlike an old Hagar cruising track “Let Sally Drive” (which was kinda like “Whole Lotta Rosie”), with a little extra twang and slide guitar. Fun.
Well, I guess it was fucking inevitable wasn’t it? I’ll bet a lot of my non-Redhead readers will be surprised to learn that Sammy hasn’t already recorded this song. Having spent the better part of the last fifteen years becoming a very successful tequila entrepreneur and margarita pourer. He had his own agave-hit song and started co-opting everything that had to do with partying and beaches. He's already been dubbed the "Hard Rock Jimmy Buffett"... But no, this track is new for him. And having never been a fan of the song, it’s easier for me to say that I like this version much better. Even with redneck sidekick Toby Keith joining along, Sammy plays it more mellow, with some island ukuleles in place of the originals keyboards. I will not be ashamed to play this in a bar... or to karaoke it.
Another mellow beach porch-swinger with Heart’s Nancy Wilson on duet vocals. Again, simple, sweet. I saw this performed live with Sammy basically solo. The addition here on the album is The Dead’s Mickey Hart has a heavy had in some island percussion. It’s not completely distracting –but kinda.
A barn burner to end the album. The old Freddie King classic that is a constant blues staple. One that Sammy has tread on before in live jam scenarios. (like this one)
This includes the "Personal Jesus" lineup from before, with Chad and Mike out front and loud. And surprisingly impressive is Schon again. He totally rips it up on here like an old Satriani. Just a fun jam, (“live take 1”) but a perfect closer. My only complaint about the album is that everything could have been this stripped down and playful.
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