Sammy Hagar - Cosmic Universal Fashion
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Free Music Notes for Cosmic Universal Fashion
Free Music Review: Sammy, I love you and I love your tequila, but you're breaking my heart here
Hit: 2 Stars
The Good
Sammy, I love you and I love your tequila, but you're breaking my heart here.
The Bad
If you walk away with anything from Cosmic Universal Fashion, it's the fact that Hagar is getting older, slowing down, and running out of ideas. The album's title track is not exactly bad. In fact, the rhythm and beats are quite different for Hagar, but if you listen closely or even watch the video, the song is a re-hashing of the Van Halen hit "Right Now." This is not the first time Hagar has gone back to old material for inspiration either.
"Peephole" is another Hagar retread from his failed side-project PlanetUS. I'm sure Hagar's hoping you don't remember, but he teamed up with Joe Satriani and Neal Shon and Deen Castronovo of Journey back in the beginning of this decade. The project never got off the ground, but Neal went forward with it, replacing Hagar with Jeff Scott Soto, and eliminating Satriani. The band released an album under the name Soul SirkUS [review]. Sure, they didn't create much of a stir, but they released "Peephole" on their album. Nice try Sammy.
"Fight for Your Right to Party" is of course a Beastie Boys cover. Hagar has been doing this one at his live shows for a while now. The song is great live, but this studio version is down right awful. It's in a much lower key, and really doesn't want to make you rebel or party. "Dreams/Cabo" is a nine-minute acoustic track that combines two more Hagar-era Van Halen tracks.
The rest of the material on the album is rather mediocre and not represenative of the "red rocker" and his high energy, twenty-four hour party lifestyle. "Loud" is probably the best hard rock track on the album. It's also the one you would releate most to Sammy Hagar.
The Verdict
Hagar should stick to hagning out with his party band The Wabos, because when they're gone, he seems to forget that he's the hard rock Jimmy Buffett. Cosmic Universal Fashion does accomplish one thing; it makes you appreciate the last album by Sammy and the Wabos "Livin' It Up.
Free Music Review: Good effort, but it falls flat!
Hit: 2 Stars
I've been a Sammy Hagar fan for many years now and i have to say that this latest attempt at creating music is just that.. "an attempt". there's nothing here that hints at reinvention whatsoever. Sam prides himself on his tequila and his livin' it up lifestyle. the inclusion of that particular lifestyle in his music has not carried over very well on this disc or his previous one for alot of fans. The title song in and of itself..sucks. "Psycho Vertigo" is okay and "Peeping through a hole" would have been alright if i hadn't already heard Jeff Scott Soto sing that with Soul Sirkus. The Soul Sirkus version blows this one to pieces. the rest of the disc is filler. It just doesn't have the elements of a "rockin'" Sammy Hagar record. Sammy is capable of creating better more listenable hard rock music even at the ripe old of 60! I really hope that the music that he's recorded with Satriani,Mike and Chad is far superior to this latest spud. I'll be waiting to hear the music from that "project" whatever name they decide to give it when it finally comes out.Free Music Review: nothing special
Hit: 2 Stars
The Red Rocker has been pretty consistent since leaving Van Halen back in 1996, releasing a new album every few years. For the most part they've been pretty good; even if they weren't classics there'd be at least a couple of songs fans of old-school 70s/80s rock would like. The hard-rocking "Ten 13" (2000) and the Jimmy Buffet-esque "Livin' it Up" (2006) were especially good. Unfortunately, however, "Cosmic Universal Fashion" (2008) is somewhat of a dud.
This isn't a terrible album, by any means--it's just that it's nothing special. The songwriting is very pedestrian and the songs, overall, have a "been there" tired feel and a cover version of the Beastie Boy's "Fight for your right to Party" is completely unforgivable (the dude can rock at 61, but covering this song is just...wrong).
The slinky "Vertigo" and a reworked, downbeat, somewhat melancholy live version of "Dreams" are cool, but apart from that, little stands out.
Sammy will rebound, no doubt, but I'd give this one a pass.
Free Music Review: Still in party mode
Hit: 2 Stars
Seems Sammy is enjoying the party way too much to devote any real effort to the song writing part. He gives it the old AC/DC recycled idea treatment and if my one time listen to Livin it up serves my memory right, this is no better. There's not a single track here that I'd want to hear again. Wouldn't you also say that penning just eight (poor) new tunes for a new album is a bit lame? Oh well, I'll just go give the albums Marching - Not 4 and his old stuff another spin.
Edit: Whoa, 8 negative ratings already for this review in less than a week. I'm a fan, I've got all the albums on cd and vinyl and also two dvd's, so c'mon, don't ask your friends to come give me negative ratings, Sammy. I know how you've said disapproving reviews make you mad. This is just my honest opinion and my last name is not Roth or Van Halen either.
Free Music Review: Ok, starting to get worried now Sammy....
Hit: 2 Stars
Let's get this straight, I am a long-term fan of all things Red Rocker and so this disc was a seriously welcome treat. It is more of an e.p than a new album but any new release is cool. The songs are not too bad, but well below Sammy's previous level. It is 10 times better than the 'Livin it up record but a bit 'Cheesy' on too many occasions.
What worries me most is that over the past 3 records Sammy has released, I have noticed his voice sounding more and more strained. I know the guy is 61 so I am greatfull he is still making music at all, but maybe he needs to go back to a more serious style and hit the 'I'm Sam I am' type stuff on the head a bit. I am looking forward to a return to form...