Queens of the Stone Age
albums
metal band Kyuss, Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri have forged a different kind of sound that many classify as
"stoner rock", but is really just well done rock music. Is it often distorted? Yeah. Metallic? Sometimes. Mysterious
and melodic? Always. This band will go down as one of the great bands simply because their music is great, and
the albums they make are consistent. They achieve spasms of popularity now and then, but in all the music will
stand the test of time because Homme always does his own thing and has a great talent for songwriting. Homme
is the center of a band who changes members, purposefully mind you, on every album. In an age where it is cool
to like "indie rock" in all its shape in forms, the best band of the 00's may be the one who has nothing to do with
the trend at all, but sets them in their own way.
Band Members: Josh Homme - Vocals, Guitar
Nick Oliveri - Vocals, Bass (first three albums)
Mark Lanegan - Vocals (Rated R - present)
countless others; they change every album!
Best Album: Rated R
Biggest Influences: The Ramones, Black Sabbath, Can
1998
Queens of the Stone Age - 8/8
This "eye opener" of an album must have been a blast of fresh air in 98, even though it was far from radio
play. A comparison to Kyuss is inevitable, and this has to be a step up in many ways. Where as Kyuss was an
experimental band in some ways, the word "metal" always could classify their sound. They was a great band
mind you, just saying the Queens are an evolution. The album is a milestone of hard rock, sounding like robots
playing repeating riffs over these great melodies. Sometimes the melodies can be too repetitive, such as
"Walkin on the Sidewalks", or annoying, the screeching sound in "I was a Teenage Hand Model", but it is rare
that the repeating pattern is annoying, once you get use to the music. "If Only", "Hispanic Impressions" and "You
Would Know" are great examples of this robotic sound, but the songs and structures work, so it is always
entertaining. After all is said and done, the band just excels at hard rock songs, proven by the bulldozing "How
to Handle a Rope" and "Give the Mule what He Wants", and complex waves of "Avon" and "Mexicola". I can't
make sense of the liner notes (all in Spanish, thanks guys), but I know it is Alfredo Hernandez who is the
drummer on "You Can't Quit me Baby", and he creates a rock song like any other. An album like any other
really, nice length and song number, great music to rock out too, just an all around stellar debut. - Trevor e.y.
1.regular john- 4
2.avon- 4
3.if only- 4
4.walkin on the sidewalks- 2
5.you would know- 4
6.how to handle a rope- 4
7.mexicola- 4
8.hispanic impressions- 3
9.you cant quit me baby- 4
10.give the mule what he wants- 4
11.i was a teenage hand model- 3
2000
Rated R - 8/8
Kudos to the Queens. They have made a flawless record. I am positive it will be remembered in years to
come, and with good reason. The album ditches the robotic approach of the debut and just flows along as you
listen, most songs tying together. I will say I wore this baby out pretty quick, as it was one of the first records I
ever owned where I liked every song on it. Nick Oliveri's songs blend with Homme's less-harsh tendencies like
no other, and makes the album have a unity to it. Certain songs stick out: the epic "Better Living though
Chemistry", the little girl lovin' anthem "Quick and to the Pointless", and the moderate hits "Lost art of Keeping a
Secret" and "Monsters in the Parasol". Other songs get mixed up in the flow like "Leg of Lamb", the should have
been classic "Auto Pilot", and "Lightning Song". But all those songs are great! The opening song can be a little
annoying and turn people off to the remainder of the record, and that is a shame, but I encourage looking at the
album as a hole. Like any great record, it has outstanding places in songs: the closing horns of "I Think I Lost
my Headache", the opening of "Tension Head", and when the drums come back in sounding so crisp at 4:17 of
"Better Living through Chemistry". The drumming is great again, this time by Nick Lucero, and the ever changing
cast of the band makes it always intriguing, but Homme is the mastermind behind it all, certain to go down as
one of the best songwriters ever. It is a great experience to hear this diverse record, every rock fan should own
this album. I only hope there are more masterpieces to come from this awesome band. Oh yes, and the best
song comes at the beautiful "in the fade", a tender ballad (probably) about rock star excess sung by Mark
Lanegan. Also, nice slick but not too slick production by Goss and Homme. Queens of the Stone Age's best
album to date, and one of the best of the 00's. Burn like a match house! - Trevor e.y.
1.feel good hit of the summer- 3
2.the lost art of keeping a secret- 4
3.leg of lamb- 4
4.auto pilot- 4
5.better living through chemistry- 4
6.monsters in the parasol- 4
7.quick and to the pointless- 4
8.in the fade- 4*
9.tension head- 4
10.lightning song- 3
11.i think I lost my headache- 4
2002
Songs for the Deaf - 6/8
The Queen's third album is their most diverse so far, but that does not mean it is their best. In my opinion,
Songs for the Deaf is their worst album, but the other two were classics so the record had a lot of responsibility
to hold up. Queens of the Stone Age are Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri, the other guest musicians just help
pursue the other two's ideas, though it is necessary to mention that the drummer on this one is Dave Grohl from
the Foo Fighters and formerly of Nirvana. The overall feel of the record has a concept album tinge to it, but if it
is a concept album, heaven only knows what it is about! Some of the songs are standouts: "No One Knows" is
one of their biggest singles, and "Go with the Flow" through "God is in the Radio" is an awesome four song
stretch. As for the rest of the album, um, a tad uneven. The opener is good, and "First it Giveth" is neat though
a little repetitive, but what the hell is "Song for the Dead"? Cool opening followed by demonic ranting is what it is,
it ain't good. "The Sky is Falling" is kind of cool, but mostly boring, and "Six Shooter" is, too be nice: some crap.
Oliveri really gets on my nerves with his singing on this album, on the last one he didn't. Thankfully, the later half
of the album saves it, it's much stronger than the first side and all good from "hanging tree" on. Songs for the
Deaf is so popular for one reason: there is not that much good, accessible music this year. But hey, if any new
band deserves praise, it is Queens of the Stone Age. They are making unique hard rock in a time of sludge rap
and crap-pop, and that is enough for this album to be considered great. Only to Queens of the Stone Age and
Rated R does Songs for the Deaf pale in comparison. - Trevor e.y.
1.you think i ain't worth a dollar, but i feel like a millionaire- 3
2.no one knows- 4
3.first it givieth- 3
4.song for the dead- 2
5.the sky is fallin'- 2
6.six shooter- 1
7.hangin' tree- 3
8.go with the flow- 4
9.gonna leave you- 4
10.do it again- 4
11.god is in the radio- 4
12.another love song- 3
13.song for the deaf- 3
(14.mosquito song- 3)
2005
Lullibies to Paralyze - 8/8
"I just curse the sun so I can howl at the moon." What a line, and what a band. The QOTSA have come
back with their 4th album, very gladly by the way. This time they almost broke up between albums, and Nick
Oliveri was kicked out, so now it is just Josh Homme and freinds. At first i was worried because i didn't know how
much Oliveri did besides play bass, but turns out Homme is the genius, and there was never too much doubt in
my mind. Besides, the Oliveri songs cluttered up the last record and made it inconsistent. "Everybody Knows
that you are Insane" has to be about Oliveri leaving, just admire the line: "You don't know why you are hollow.
It's because you are". Wowsa, good riddance he says! Too bad that happens to be the album's weakest song.
"Broken Box" is much better, also about a breakup, but maybe more about a woman than Oliveri.
Many of these songs are have the typical QOTSA mid tempo chug with odd guitar and music work, but they
are also melodic and catchy like their best work is. Homme incorporates many different influences in his work
including Sonic Youth, Pavement and Sabbath (see the "Iron Man" intro on "Skin on Skin", and "In my Head" is
the SY and Pavement). The long drawn-out middle section of this album is most appealing to Sabbath fan's I am
sure; both "Someones in the Wolf" and "The Blood is Love", while not bad, kind of slow down the earnestness of
the first half along with setting the mood of the second half. On first listen I thought I liked the second half better,
and the first half seemed boring? But i was way off. While the opening "This Lullaby" is not really needed, but
very short, and two or three songs could have been cut (this album is an hour long, almost exactly), there are at
least 10 stellar rock songs on here, and they are all different than previous efforts but at the same time, the
same. Favorites of mine include the futuristic "I Never Came", and rock like only the Queens can do with "You
got a Killer Scene There, Man", "Skin on Skin" and "Tangled up in Plaid". No concept album like last time, just
great, great rock 'n roll, and the darkest album yet, from the current masters of the form. - Trevor e.y.
1.this lullaby-gf
2.medication- 4
3.everybody knows that you are insane- 2
4.tangle up in plaid- 4
5.burn the witch- 4
6.in my head- 4
7.little sister- 4
8.i never came- 4*
9.someones in the wolf- 3
10.the blood is love- 3
11.skin on skin- 4
12.broken box- 4
13.you got a killer scence there, man- 4
14.long slow goodbye- 4
2007
Era Vulgaris - 7/8
This is a true transitional record, but its a great one. It took me many, many, many listens to get into this kind
of music at all, but know I think I have a handle on it. The QOTSA have turned into a more sincere band for
sure, but they are also at odds with their old mocking personality. The lyrics include lines like, "It's truly a lie, I
counterfeit myself" right along side the cringe inducing "I wanna make it wit chu" sums up where I am coming
form hopefully. Here is the thing for real - ballads, riffs, new experiments, and melodies collide all over the place,
making the album a very difficult listen to be sure. Lullibies was poppier than this, it was just also menacing and
dark. This record has an edge, but its silly rather than serious (like Oliveri had come back, which he has not).
Speaking of not coming back, this is definitely not your usual Queens record - "Battery Acid" and "Suture up
Your Future" plain suck in the middle of the record, Mark Lanegan is missed on "Into the Hollow" which sounds
like something he'd sing (though he is vaguely present on a later song), and the album time is actually concise
at 45 minutes!
People that accused the last album of being overtly serious will love this....except for the fact that every damn
song is unpredictable. This keeps true with Homme's style, and he has kept a similar band line up to that he had
on the last record. I'll put it this way, this is a record that will be fun for old fans of the band to assimilate but was
no chance of winning new fans: it's too all over the place. Take the final song for example, there are two distinct
parts going on separately, and then the band runs them into a car crash of noise that sounds very...confusing. If
Frank Zappa did metal, it might sound something like that (so yes parts sound like Primus). Still, if they can
make great catchy songs like "Sick Sick Sick" and "3's and 7's" along side some of the most boundary pushing
music imaginable like "I'm Designer", "Turnin on the Screw" and "River in the Road", then bring it on. Prepare to
be confused, awestruck, compelled, annoyed, and rocked out all at the same time. Homme continues to carry
his band through the fifth outstanding record in a row and he does it with style, confounding as it is. - Trevor e.y.
1.turnin on the screw- 4
2.sick sick sick- 4
3.i'm designer- 4 *
4.into the hollow- 3
5.misfit love- 4
6.battery acid- 2
7.make it wit chu- 3
8.3's and 7's- 4
9.suture up your future- 2
10.river in the road- 4
11.run pig run- 3
2005
Over the Years and Through the Woods - 7/8
Well, there is quite a difference in watching something and listening to it, as this band greatly
demonstrates by doing both at the same time. Taking different performances form the same venue
recorded over different nights and splicing them up in different orders on the DVD and the CD is very
confusing, such that the back of the album lists them in one order they never seem to appear in in one
place. Sound confusing? It gets that way, but for the most part this is pure metallic enjoyment for the
Queen fan. Taking a lot of material from some albums (QOTSA & Songs for the Deaf) and only some
from others (Rated R & Lullabies, suprisingly sense it was the most recent). At least the band did not
cover their most recent album in its entirty, like most live albums seem to do. The DVD works better I
must say, mostly becasue the drummer (Joey Castillo) totaly rocks it out and because the band is very
fun to watch. Things like the alien noises thrown into "Regular John", the man with the cane routine
and horn section on "I Never Came" (still the band's best song yet), Homme ranting about how some
guy who throws things at him is a "cocksmoker" at the end of "Monsters", and the multiple changes in
songs like "You Can't Quit Me Baby" and "No One Knows" that make live experiences unique. If you
are a fan of the band, I would diffenatly recomend this just to watch some of the best live playing you
are likly to see for 00's bands on the DVD. ALso, certaings are better live then on record ("Song for
the Deaf", "Avon") and some are not as good live ("Leg of Lamb", "Monsters"). The album is good too,
though it is not quite as nice as the DVD, and both are too long - the DVd runs 2 hours and the Live
Album fills up 75 minutes. Still, it is hard to go wrong with the first 4 queens albums, and it is assured if
they ever make a greatest hits, it will be beyond stellar. - Trevor e.y.
Live DVD - 7/8 Live Album - 7/8
1.this lullaby- 3 1.go with the flow- 4
2.go with the flow- 4 2.regular john- 4
3.feel good hit of the summer- 4 3.monsters in the parasol- 3
4.the lost art of keeping a secret- 4 4.tangled up in plaid- 4
5.regular john- 4 5.little sister- 4
6.song for the deaf- 4 6.you can't quit me baby- 4
7.avon- 4 7.i wanna make it wit chu- 2
8.little sister- 4 8.leg of lamb- 3
9.you can't quit me baby- 4 9.i think i lost my headache- 3
10.i wanna make it wit chu- 2 10.mexicola- 4
11.monsters in the parsol- 2 11.burn the witch- 4
12.the fun machine took a shit and died- 1 12.song for the deaf- 3
13.mexicola- 4 13.no one knows- 4
14.brun the witch- 4 14.long slow goodbye- 2
15.coverd in punk's blood- 3
16.i think i lost my headache- 3
17.song for the dead- 3
18.Inever came- 4
19.no one knows- 4
20.long slow goodbye- 3
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