Red Light Fever
At best the fever is mild
Craig Fitzpatrick, 15 Jun 2010
Having struggled with demons and addiction, the Foo Fighters’ little lost drummer boy returns with his other band for some good ol’ rock n roll. Remaining behind the skins, Hawkins also takes on song writing and vocal duties, aided by Chris Chaney and Gannin Arnold on bass and guitar respectively. Red Light Fever is undeniably a step up from the band’s ramshackle debut, production-wise at least. The songs themselves are right out of the hard rock songbook. With a host of guest musicians that include Dave Grohl, Brian May and Roger Taylor, you know what you’re in store for. It’s a little bit Foos, a lot 70s hairy rock. Derivative, sure, but that’s almost the point of the record - a carefree tribute to the music he loves. When it’s done well, that’s no bad thing. ‘Not Bad Luck’ is a great stomp-along rocker, all crunching guitars and catchy refrains. It wears its Queen influence on its sleeve. ‘I Don't Think I Trust You Anymore’ may best it. It’s brooding and building, using Hawkins’ breathy whisper to good effect before hitting a power chorus pay-off. Elsewhere though, mediocrity lies. If it aims for the stadium, it often just ends up in the bar. These are tired formulas if not handled correctly. ‘Never Enough’ is a case in point - a decent sliding guitar in search of a tune, it plays like bad Pink Floyd, droning and monotonous. In parts, it sounds like an album more fun to record than to listen to. A commendable effort for sure, just unlikely to induce a fever in many.
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