Chickenfoot [LP] - VINYL

As for the album, the packaging is already hot! Available in both vinyl and CD versions, the cover is printed with heat-sensitive ink that reacts to the touch causing the picture to appear or fade. Inside is some of the best rock music I have ever heard. Sammy Hagar was quoted as saying that Chickenfoot sounded a lot like early Zeppelin (a comment which quickly earned him a lot of heat.) But after hearing this album, I have to agree that Chickenfoot’s music is just as powerful as Zeppelin. Besides the combined talents of Joe Satriani on guitar, Sammy Hagar on vocals, Chad Smith on drums and Michael Anthony on bass, the surprising changes in these songs are but one element that makes them exciting and memorable. Just when you think you know where the song is taking you, it changes and lights up into something completely different. It’s a pleasure to listen to, an honor, really. The intro to “Avenida Revolution” slithers like a forbidden snake up your spine. Chad’s drums grab you RIGHT NOW. This song is an unexpected explosion, an electric tidal wave of sound with a dirty, nasty, dark, heavy rock beat. Sammy’s scream at the end, buries it deep. Satriani, Smith and Anthony all have small solos which highlight their outstanding abilities. In “Soap on a Rope,” Joe’s guitar quakes with riffs reminiscent of SRV (Stevie Ray Vaughan) and is accompanied by a bend uuuuuup that takes you up with it. There’s also a transition where the guitar moans like a human voice in harmony with itself—a brilliant interjection. "Soap on a Rope" makes you feel good. “Sexy Little Thing” forces you to move your body. Satriani’s guitar opens the song like a mandolin, then quickly kicks into gear. It’s one of those catchy tunes you can’t get out of your head. “Oh Yeah” takes on a darker undertone. At the end of the first musical phrase, it tastes a lot like the chord progression in the Beatles’ “Because,” one of my all-time favorite songs. It builds and explodes, then falls back down, rising again with a guitar solo. "Runnin' Out" is a political statement about the struggle to hold on to hope. "Long after the mud has settled, you left us with a dirty man..." and "we're running out of heroes" is a clear message about disenchantment with politics. “Get It Up” has a melodic, rolling bassline that really stands out. It’s so full of energy, you can’t escape its impact. The repeated references to the word "round" are intriguing. Even Joe's guitar seems to convey the feeling of swirling. Chad gets a chance to wail on drums and Mikey can clearly be heard screaming his distinctive backing vocals, giving it all he's got. This is the sound of Chickenfoot. “Down the Drain” is another song that captures Chickenfoot’s voice from the first note. I love the lyrics “do me when I’m dirty.” Those words really seem to convey the power of this band. Based on the teaser of this song on their website, I had initially thought this song lacked substance. I wanted more than what I heard. But being able to hear the entire song, it is loaded with substance. The music here is so phenomenal, it doesn’t lack for anything. Chad and Mikey's contributions are forefront in "Down the Drain." And Sam’s scream at the end just seals this song, wraps it up, seals it nice! My least favorite is "My Kinda Girl." It's not a bad song; it just doesn't stand out for me. As for “Learning to Fall,” There is something beyond the words here, beyond the melody. It drifts just below the surface and weaves itself with Joe’s guitar and the beautiful flowing harmonies. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Sam’s voice contain so much depth. It reveals something intimate about him that he feels compelled to share and yet wants to guard because maybe it’s just a little too personal to give away—and would they get it even if he did? But it shines through anyhow; he can’t help it, and it glides and caresses like fine cognac slipping down your throat and warming your insides. This is by far my favorite. At one point, the guitar rises like a rose out of ashes—truly a captivating listening experience. Joe’s guitar proficiency is in its glory in “Turnin’ Left.” This is a heavy-hitting, hard-driving rock song that burns rubber right from the start. Again Sammy and Mikey's combined screams open this song full throttle, accompanied by the hammering beat and music. Is that a scream combined with the squeal of the guitar or just a perfect blend of musicianship? Great high-energy piece. “Future in the Past” begins rather funky, then turns the corner and takes on a middle-Eastern flavor. It spins like a belly-dancer's flowing silk veil, taking you in different directions, then climbs into a hard rock bend. This is another favorite for me. There are a lot of twists here. I think the lyrics contain more meaning than they originally exhibit. “Bitten by the Wolf” (bonus song on vinyl version only) didn’t grab me at first. But when it did, it became another of my favorites. I heard dimensions to Sammy’s voice I’d not heard before, except moments he'd given us a taste of in Van Halen’s “Apolitical Blues.” Sammy can sing the blues. Only a singer with this much depth of soul can pull this off to this height. Some strategically-placed emphasis on certain words like “muddy,” unleashed by the gravelly soul sound of a raw blues slant, go through my soul like a jagged stab of lightening. Chickenfoot has single-handedly revived rock ‘n’ roll! This album is destined to become a classic. There is not a bad song here.

Its fair to say that this has been one of the more enjoyable purchases I've made in years. I love the fact, that I was able to walk into a retail store and purchase a vinyl LP release of newly recorded music. Even better is that it is not a store exclusive release and can be purchased at your choice of retail outlets. The attention to detail here is better than most. The packaging of the 2 LP set is quite nice. The thermochromic ink that responds to heat is a neat touch. I also appreciate that this is a 2 LP set. By only putting 3 songs per side, the audio quality is much better than it would have been had been released as a single LP. As a result there is much less inner groove distortion. Thanks guys! I purchased this album after hearing a friends CD. It sounded horrible. The mastering was overcompressed/limited making it impossible to enjoy the music. Although, it was only offered as .mp3 I also appreciated the included one-time digital download. At least the files were encoded at 320kbps. Given the choice, I would have preferred a lossless copy taken from the test pressing instead of what appears to be a copy sourced from the pressing plant master source files. (since I'm assuming that this was recorded digitally and not to analog tape.) I'll keep a copy of the downloaded files, but, I'll probably make my own set that conforms to my own quality standards for my personal listening enjoyment. Overall, I'd recommended this release if you enjoy this style of music.

First of all, I love the fact that Best Buy offered this for pre-order. Thank you for your prompt service! There are some interesting things I have noticed about this LP set. I am not exactly sure, but I think this LP set was made to "look" old. It seems they have gone to great lengths to make it look like the album has been around for a long time. Interesting design idea. Also, there are 2 LPs. I have not bought an LP in a long time, so maybe someone else can tell me why there are only 3 songs per side? Have not listened to it yet. In fact I may never listen to it. I grabbed the enclosed coupon for a digital download with the idea that I would preserve the LPs. However, the coupon says I cannot log in to get the songs until June 9. Ironic. The LPs comes a day early, but I cannot download until 4 days after the official release. Oh, well. I have heard samples of the songs and believe it is a great record. I simply liked the unique nature of the LP. To be honest, I will likely buy the CD too.

I am not a fan of Sammy's solo stuff, but him teamed up with Satch and the rest is just a musical treat! This is the best $15 I have spent in a long time. The MP3 download is a nice touch for the gym, or to burn a CD for the car. But I love the care and attention they put into the vinyl. Both discs are 180G thick, and the cover is heat activated. When you touch the cover with your hand it reveals pictures on the cover. This is a 2 disc set for $15, why waste money on a CD when you can have this on vinyl!!

It's a great album of Rock&Roll... Joe Satriani & cia show how to rock in 2000's... I think that it is one of best albuns that I've ever heard... it's the perfect combination of ballads and fast songs...

This is such good music. It is a couple of people from Van Halen. Would recommend to rock music lovers.

this is a great album and it is even better listening to it the way it was intended for....

This is the best album EVER!!!!! Can't stop listening