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. Retaining his position behind the skins, Hawkins also assumes songwriting and vocal duties, aided by Chris Chaney and Gannin Arnold on bass and guitar respectively.
The result? Red Light Fever is undeniably a step up from the band’s ramshackle debut, production-wise at least. The songs, however, are right out of the hard rock songbook. With a host of guest musicians including Dave Grohl, Brian May and Roger Taylor, you know what's in store for you. It's all 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 Hawkins loves. And it kinda works.
'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' uses Hawkins' breathy whisper to good effect before hitting a power chorus pay-off. Elsewhere though, mediocrity dominates. 'Never Enough' is a case in point: a decent slide guitar in search of a tune, it plays like bad Pink Floyd, droning and monotonous.
A commendable effort in parts it may be, but RLF is unlikely to cause anyone to break out in a fever.