Sammy Hagar's Cosmic Universal Fashion - The Bring Back Glam! Album Review

Sammy Hagar will release Cosmic Universal Fashion November 18th. This album is straight Sammy, guitar and all. The album also marks the first release for Loud and Proud, which is a RoadRunner Records imprint. Cosmic Universal Fashion is nice and heavy - with a definite nod toward the Montrose days. The album features Michael Anthony, Billy Duffy, Matt Sorum and Billy Gibbons!  One listen and I was hooked.

The tracklisting:

1. Cosmic Universal Fashion
2. Psycho Vertigo
3. Peephole
4. LOUD (Featuring Matt Sorum and Billy Duffy)
5. Fight for Your Right to Party
6. Switch On the Light
7. When the Sun Don't Shine
8. 24365
9. I'm on a Roll
10. Dreams/Cabo

There's a good reason track number five looks familiar. Sammy does a fine job covering the Beastie Boy's signature tune. When Sammy Hagar played Rock the Bayou, he closed his set with "Fight With Your Right to Party" - and it fit. The song fits here, too. Of course, Sammy juiced it up a bit and made it less rap and more rock - as it should be, natch.

Overall, the guitar work on Cosmic Universal Fashion is strong. Heavy in quite a lot of places, but not overpowering for the artist. That said, "LOUD" is probably my favorite song on the CD. Sammy doesn't need the help of Matt Sorum or Billy Duffy, but their presence is a nice touch.

Mellow Sammy is here, too. "When the Sun Don't Shine" sounds a little country. Sammy likes to dip his toe in the twang waters from now and then. "When the Sun Don't Shine" is probably my least favorite track on Cosmic Universal Fashion. I prefer the heavier side of Sammy, but I appreciate his effortless ability to cross over to many genres.

As you would imagine, "Dreams/Cabo Wabo" is a remake of the song he originally sang with Van Halen. Cosmic Universal Fashion gives the tune the live remake treatment. The addition of the live track means stage banter which I can always do without, but this is my only real complaint about the album. "Dreams" itself is a decent song - it was never one of my favorite Van Halen tunes, but it serves a purpose. Naturally, the crowd sings along loudly. That's par for the course at any Sammy show. I'm not sure where or when the track was recorded. Cosmic Universal Fashion is delivered in an environmentally sound digipack - that means "no booklet/no waste." The digipack sent me to Sammy's official website - but the credits page for Cosmic Universal Fashion doesn't seem ready. No matter - we'll figure it out soon enough I'm sure.

If you're looking for a solid rock record, I'd give Cosmic Universal Fashion a shot. This isn't Sammy Hagar's career defining moment, but the rock is still damn good.

Here's the video for the album's title track. It's a modern remake of the concept for Van Halen's "Right Now." It also features our friend Michael Anthony.

Comments

[Todd]

I've never been a big fan of Sammy's solo material. But, with the cover of the Beastie Boys (always a fun song!), Dreams (one of my fav tracks off of 5150) and that Sammy is bringing the heavy with him, I will certainly give this one a spin.
Great Review!

Todd

[MotleyCrue666]

Ive never liked sammy im j ust to loyal to david lee roth but some of his halen stuff is good but not great. the cover is pretty good ill give him that. i might buy it.

[GNFR]

SEEMS LIKE A FEW COVERS ON HERE LOUD IS A JOHN EDDIE SONG WHICH IS DEF SUPRISING CONSIDERING EDDIE IS LIKE A SPRINGSTEEN TYPE PERFORMER AND FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT?? ITS A GREAT TUNE LEAVE IT ALONE ALL THE SONGS U COULD COVER AND U DO THAT ONE HMM BUT I'LL GIVE IT A SPIN

[JT]

Just to give an alternate viewpoint, there were only a few songs on this disc that I liked. "Cosmic Universal Fashion," "Psycho Vertigo," "LOUD," and "24365" (and the last one I really have to be in the mood to hear it). The rest are average at best, and awful at worst. "Peephole" is OK, but I prefer the Soul SirkUS version that was released a few years ago. "Fight For Your Right" was downright terrible in my opinion.

I liked Sammy before he joined Van Halen, but never was much of a fan during his time in VH. When he went solo again, I thought it was great and was expecting a return to the old Red Rocker, but I rarely hear it.

[don]

personally i think sammy is going senile. there is nothing on this cd that is likable. the title track is horrendous. sammy, please stop trying to use electronica, samples, etc. please. the live version of dreams shows clearly how much better dave was/is at song patter. fight for your right is average at best. the only sammy i can really stand to lsiten to is before he joined van halen when he WAS the red rocker. i think music is just a hobby for him but as the title track shows, some things are better left undone, untried or unsaid. go on, hate on me.. i expect it.

[PJ]

I got an advanced copy, and damn this is good! It amazes me how the older he gets, the heavier he gets; awesome. I actually liked the live versions of "fight for your right" better than the album version, but still cool. Why wasn't "open" included on this album? This is Sammy's 6th Studio cd post VH. not to mention a live cd and 3 DVD's. He takes care of his fans. I don't know of any artist who has created that much quality music over the same span. For those who have posted; Get over DLR. He can not compare to Sammy on any day. And, what has he done for us lately??????