Originally published by L.S. Media. October 25th 2011.
L.S. Media rating *****
If you are going to have the tag “Super group” hanging round your neck for all too see then its best to live up to the hype, the moniker and the musical ideal by delivering music that’s accessible and above reproach from critics and fans. Black Country Communion have done just that in the last couple of years, and now Chickenfoot follow superbly in that fashion and have delivered another impressive album that holds dear to the ideals of excellent riffs and well placed lyrics.
It’s hardly surprising though when the band consists of four of the all-time Rock musicians, the much in demand Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony, Sammy Hagar and one of the busiest men in Rock Chad Smith. Quite how these four men find the time to record albums is astonishing, Chad Smith for example has only just finished recording the new Red Hot Chilli Peppers album and also finds him coming over to Europe in the next couple of weeks with the Chilli’s.
Chickenfoot III, there was no number II, has the poise, grace and thumping Rock beat that you would expect from four musicians who have been at the top of the game for so long that they are a powerful reminder that with age sometimes comes quality and knowledge that cannot be ignored.
The feel of the album is one of a close knit group, in tune with each other’s ability and respectful of what they bring to the sessions and to the recording. In a way it’s possible to see how fans of Van Halen would have liked the band to have been during Sammy Hagar’s stewardship, no baggage, no permanent reminders to the former missing frontman. Just pure and unadulterated Rock one of the finest voices of the genre.
Chickenfoot III also has soul that was missing during those years and it really is a fantastic thing to hear Sammy Hagar do what he does best and that’s to deliver powerful and stunning vocals, with just the right amount of tension in his voice on songs such as Alright Alright, Up Next and Three and Half Letters. Even on the latter where he talks and gives the account of a young soldier’s life during part of it, it adds the enjoyment of the album.
They themselves might not like the tag of Super group but is there any better way to describe a band that comes up with an album of immeasurable quality. Ian D. Hall