Queens of the Stone Age
Rated R
Interscope Records
If someone were to hand Josh Homme a broomhandle, a ball of twine, and some empty paint cans, and tell him to go make an album, he’d still come up with a bunch of songs worth listening to. Together with a slew of collaborators, Homme orchestrates an insanely diverse listening experience that finally gives the guitarist a separate identity apart from Kyuss. He has become a musical chameleon, no longer only a prolific riff-meister and true guitar pioneer. The latest Queens of the Stone Age release, Rated R, presents a variety of styles: the hyperactive excess of “Quick And To The Pointless” and “Feel Good Hit Of The Summer;” the sleepy shuffle of “Auto Pilot;” the whirlpool ecstasy of “Better Living Through Chemistry” and “I Think I Lost My Headache;” the quirky surrealism of “Leg of Lamb” and “Monsters In The Parasol;” the dark guitar beat-down of “Tension Head;” and the perfectly crafted rock of “The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret” and “Into The Fade.” The album is a lesson in how not to duplicate your own vibe.
The band’s 1998 debut showed signs of a transition from the earth-shaking and infectious down-tuned riffing that made Homme one of the influential heavy guitarists of the nineties, to a balanced attack concentrating more on concise song development. Queens of the Stone Age rocked magnanimously throughout that album, defying the typical softening effects of a stricter songwriting filter. Rated R is the next step in the band’s metamorphosis from off-center metal stomp to eclectic rock experimentalism. Q.O.T.S.A. diehards will be surprised and shocked by Rated R, since there is little similarity between this new batch of songs and any of their previous work. Greater attention is given to vocals — lead and backing — than on any prior Q.O.T.S.A./Kyuss recording, which can probably be partly attributed to it being a major label release. Also, the contributions of Homme’s former touring partners Mark Lanegan and Barrett Martin (one half of Screaming Trees) may have influenced the songwriting somewhat.
Another factor that sets Rated R apart from the first Q.O.T.S.A. album is the emergence of bassist Nick Oliveri as a lead vocalist and assisting songwriter. His seething aggression on “Tension Head” and lecherous screech on “Quick And To The Pointless” seem almost a calculated break from the sedate voicing of Homme. The alleged wildman shows that he can also carry a tune, lending his smoky delivery to the laid back “Auto Pilot.” Homme’s unselfishness is an asset to the band, since the collaborative effort of the Q.O.T.S.A team clearly blows the doors wide open for worthwhile experimentation. With all the ground that it has broken, Rated R could easily spawn three or four different projects from these artists. A Screaming Trees meets the Queens album would be quite interesting, judging from the successful Homme/Lanegan songwriting collaboration on “In The Fade.” The interplay between Homme’s triumphant guitar lead and Lanegan’s familiar scruffy baritone produces a euphoria attained only sparingly in today’s rock world. How clever it was to back the cavern-filling depth of Lanegan’s voice with Homme’s unfathomable boys’ choir inflections.
Those longing for the epic guitar voyages of Homme’s past are appeased with the swirling explorations that color “Better Living Through Chemistry” and “I Think I Lost My Headache.” Though gearing his efforts nearly exclusively towards songcraft, Homme shows that he’ll never ignore his roots as a riff junkie. It’s safe to say that the Queens — under Homme’s rule — will always be a guitar band, even if they continue to dabble in various rock styles using a myriad of different instruments. He occupies a rarely reached plateau among modern rock guitarists, having developed and honed a wholly original and immediately recognizable style that rocks without compare. Together with the nebulous Queens lineup of rock refugees, Homme charts a mammoth course that threatens to leave the face of modern rock bewildered and covered in powder burns.
D. Cullity
1. Feel Good Hit Of The Summer
2. The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret
3. Leg Of Lamb
4. Auto Pilot
5. Better Living Through Chemistry
6. Monsters In The Parasol
7. Quick And To The Pointless
8. In The Fade
9. Tension Head
10. Lightning Song
11. I Think I Lost My Headache