For all the diabolical black metal, murderous death metal, and swords and sorcery flavored traditional metal that graces this site, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the occasional palette cleanser from time to time. You know, something that’s just metal adjacent enough, but doesn’t necessarily fall in line with what most characterize as “metal” by today’s standards. I say by today’s standards because if heavy metal was as fully realized as a scene and sound in the ’70s as it was the ’80s, there’s no doubt today’s band in review would’ve graced the cover of a zine or two.
Foghat means different things to different people. If you’re between the ages of 18 and 40, you know them as “the band from Guitar Hero“. If you’re between the ages of 40 and 60, you know them as one of those bands your freaker cousin used to blast in between Black Sabbath and Blue Öyster Cult deep cuts at family parties, all the while reeking of Colt 45 and pot. And if you’re over the age of 60, well, you ARE said freaker cousin. As far as you’re concerned, it’s perpetually been the bicentennial for nearly 50 years. Too bad it isn’t for the rest us. The tunes were heavier, the chicks were groovier, and the drugs weren’t laced with fentanyl and lord knows what else.
But alas, here we are in 2023. Thank heavens Foghat hasn’t gotten the memo. If there’s two things about this band I can rely on, it’s 1. They’ll never senselessly jump on a musical bandwagon for a quick buck, or in today’s case, a quick click. (If you’re expecting a deathcore remix of “Slow Ride”, forget it.), and 2. They’ll always stay true to their bluesy hard rockin’ hearts. Such is the case on their latest album, Sonic Mojo. With new guitarist/frontman Scott Holt in tow, founding drummer Roger Earl and the gang have managed to concoct an honest to goodness outing of unadulterated classic rock guaranteed to get even the most austere of headbangers movin’ and groovin’.
By and large, Sonic Mojo isn’t so much a continuation of the arena boogie of such mega-sellers Fool for the City (1975) and Night Shift (1976), but rather a throwback to the humble blues rock beginnings of their early days and pre-Foghat outfit, Savoy Brown. In fact, a handful of the songs on here were written by fallen Savoy Brown founder Kim Simmonds, explaining the largely blues-centric sound. By and large, Foghat keeps it simple and straightforward on old school blues rockers like “Mean Woman Blues”, “She’s Dynamite”, and “Let Me Love You Baby”. They rev up the heaviness on ’70s metal bangers like “She’s a Little Bit of Everything” and my choice cut, “Black Days and Blue Nights”, but only occasionally.
Other outliers include a handful of bluesy ballads, the most poignant being the lush, mysterious “How Many More Years”, and even some pop flavored tunes in “I Don’t Appreciate You” and “Song for the Life”, both of which wouldn’t sound out of place on the commercial friendly Boogie Motel (1979). However, at the end of the day, Sonic Mojo is a Foghat album through and through. Their mere existence in the year 2023 isn’t just a testament to the music the original lineup created half a century ago, but to the power of rock n’ roll. It’s about sticking to your guns, cranking it loud, and approaching everything in life with a healthy dose of Sonic Mojo.
7 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Blues Rock
For fans of: Savoy Brown, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd