Cosmic Universal Fashion Opens with the title track, which is also the first single of the album, the tune is a boogie rhythmic song with Hager's rich vocals carrying the song although at first I thought the guitar will play a leading role but after a little opening tease we descend into a mixing bowl of guitar and keyboard 'loops' overlaid the repetitive machine generated drum loops, the perfect rock/pop chart song perhaps, no real talent on show except Hagars vocals singing worthless lyrics.

I kept my fingers crossed that it will get better, and when the second tune 'Psycho Vertigo' started with an interesting guitar riff and slow 2/4 drum beat I thought this is better, a bluesy rock metal tune, but again the lyrics let the song down with Hagar carrying the song with his delivery and classic rock voice. Peephole' the third song on this album lets rip and shows that Hager can still do what he is best at, fronting a powerful rock song, with dramatic guitar flourishes and loud pulsating skin patterns plus Hagar giving his all, maybe the album has merit after all, then the song finishes much to quickly, if the album was full of this type of track, he would blow away everyone and his comeback would be the stuff of legends.

The forth song on this eight track album 'Loud' is standard' 80's rock 'n roll of Van Halen style fame and is going to get all those hair heads drooling with its simple beat and lovely rippling guitar work while once again Hagar produces a vocal masterpiece and the lyrics this time have some substance which the master delivers with true passion.

The next tune the Beastie Boys ' 'Fight For Your Right To Party' the great street bonding song that should have us all getting into 'us' against the 'Man', but it falls a little flat really because Hagar's vocals are pure rock attitude and he just doesn't do defiance and anger, but still a decent fist of a song.

Track six 'Turn on the light' is a little rocking number that fits in with the first two songs on this album with its simple radio friendly bounce then we get another in the same ilk with 'When the sun don't shine' and end up with the frivolous space filler '24365' which has a great guitar riff and chug, so there we have it, fifty percent of the album will bring back memories for Hagar's fans who are still stuck in the old groove and fifty percent of the songs will appeal to all those who have got old and the important radio mtv audience, so all in all its a good start to resurrection.


Myspace page