THE DEATH OF THE MIX TAPE
​
Picture
  • Blog
    • Wordpress Feed
  • REACHING OUT:
  • SHOW PICS
  • MY TOP 100 SONGS OF ALL TIME

THE DOOR IS OPEN I SWEAR( OR AN OVERVIEW OF QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE)

10/8/2016

0 Comments

 
For a long time, stoner rock, or just the concept of stoner rock was dismissed by more mainstream types looking for their next quick fix. During this period though, and with the help of multiple friends and amazing musicians, Joshua Homme and his Queens of the Stone Age managed to not only propel quote unquote “Stoner Rock” to the next level,but become one of the finest rock bands currently active. Queens isn't full blown stoner though, and with each subsequent record they’ve becoming not only more sonically heavy, but also have managed to bring Desert, Palm Springs inspired rock to a level that most of the bands California natives haven’t managed to.

It all started with the eruption of the seminal desert rock band Kyuss. After the dissolution, Homme and fellow band member Nick Oliveri embarked on a new view of the world. The first album, which is self titled, dove into a little of what made Kyuss so special, but there was something else there. For one, people who loved Kyuss and who had never seen Homme as anything more than a drummer quickly realized that not only was Joshua a really good guitar player, but boy, did he have a voice. Not a traditional voice for the style of music, but I venture to guess that that's part of why the band stood out. Homme’s silky, elegant yet smoky voiced throat was able to give a new light to the genre, and with Oliveri on bass they were able to conceptualize a style that no one has been able to recreate.

One of the best things about the first album are the deep, embedded hooks throughout key tracks. “Avon” kicks like shotgun in a violent encounter, while “Mexicola” and “Give the Mule what he wants” both possess a funky opening that manages to get the job done with little urgency until the guitars come full strength and dominate the song. Hommes voice is also key here.

Even at this early stage the band was getting recognition, but it wouldn't be until a few key things happened off their second album that would truly set them on the road being a very well-known band. First, the video for “ the Lost Art of Keeping a Secret,” started getting minimal airplay on music video channels (Those still existed way back when) and the band was asked to join that summer's Ozzfest tour. While the video was great and got the record into important hands of initiated fans, the Ozzfest thing never really seemed like a good fit. Pushed in alongside bands like Pantera,  Deftones and Soulfly, it just clearly didn't mesh as well as it should have. Then, something really big happened..

With the release of their third album,”Songs for the Deaf,” everything started going right for them, at least commercially. For one, their live performances became the stuff of legends, especially with bassist Nick Oliveri giving his all, mentally and physically to unsuspecting crowds. This included, but wasn't limited to getting wasted and throwing bottles into the audience, and also just generally playing his ass off.

The record also included the first contributions from Dave Grohl. To say that his drumming helped the record along is an understatement. It took the bands craft and their notoriety to another level. It also didn’t hurt that the singles ended up being giant successes. “No one Knows” and the arguably better “Go with the Flow” became mainstays on rock radio, and it catapulted the album to big sales. They had officially arrived, and were finding bigger and bigger crowds every day who wanted to spread the love of QOTSA. So much of the positivity and success from that album comes from the material which was released. All of the songs are brilliant, and capture immediately the vibe of the best road record ever released. Even the non singles are killer tracks with explicit hooks that captivate you. “First it Giveth” hits the ground running, while the title track of the record is among the band's heaviest tracks ever. For me this  album is a stark reminder of just how gnarly, but also nuanced the band can be. Sure, they’re in your face, but that’s not all they are. Future albums capture this vibe better than “Songs,” but over the course of this excellent, groundbreaking album, in my eyes at least, Queens of the Stone Age took one step closer to being the best rock and roll band of our day and age, which is a title i still believe they possess. With Dave Grohl, Mark Lanegan, Jesse Hughes and various other contributing to the album, there’s almost no way it wouldn’t help the band.

Between the next albums though, much changed. Grohl was out, as was Oliveri, and although he never rejoined the band, Homme and he still remain friends. But anyway, next comes “Lullabies to Paralyze,” whose title is actually taken from the closing song of the previous album.

Paralyze is not only an appropriate album to follow up the smash of “Deaf,” but it’s also more balanced, less in your face, and gives the band new life. Joined by Alain Johannes, Joey Castillo, and even that ZZ Top guy Billy Gibbons, “Paralyze “ has guttural songs, but also some spooky tracks laid out that build and grow in ways previous tracks haven’t.

“Burn the Witch,” is an all time favorite, with its synced up drumming, ho hum vocal melody, and of course Homme’s signature croon laid deep in the mix. Many of the tracks here are also longer and more meandering at times than previous efforts. This album wasn’t the giant success that the previous album was, but it’s arguably better as a whole, while it certainly has moments that are better than any of their other records. One of my favorite things about the album as a whole though, is the slow, somber closing provided from the “Hidden Finale,” that comes after “Long Slow Goodbye.” It’s always reminded me of a funeral procession, as showcased in a black and white movie of the thirties. Even beyond that terrifying slow burn of the track, “traditional”rock anthems like lead single “Little Sister” also delivers scorching musical moments. I mean, seriously, the first time I heard “Sister” i was absolutely captivated at the proficiency in which Homme plays guitar.

This tour also highlights one of the single best concerts I’ve ever been to. Two of my favorite all time bands, Queens and Nine Inch Nails were going on tour together. Holy-fucking-shit. To say that that show was amazing is nearly pointless. Joined by fellow amazing artists’ Death From Above 1979, the tour was one for the ages, and was also the first in a long collaboration between Queens and Reznor(we’ll get  to that later though).Following a long tour full of seminal quotes and wonderful moments, the band took some time off to do other things, to varying degrees of success. The time wasn’t super long though, and by 2007 the band was back with a new record.

Now, among hardcore fans, “Era Vulgaris” is among the weaker of the albums released by the group, but in no way is that me saying it’s a shit record. It’s actually really good compared to other things that came out that year. It’s just not life changing for me in the way other records released by Queens had been. There’s still plenty to love about it though. “Turning on the Screw,” which opens the album is a perfect example of a band not being afraid to do what they want. The song isn’t in your face in the ways other opening tracks are, but the difference intone is obvious very early in the listening process of “Era.” Reznor appears again on the title track, while the hidden b side of “The Fun Machine Took a Shit and Died” remains one of the best tracks never officially included on a record.Other songs rock too though. “Misfit Love” is a wild ride, while “3’s & 7’s” is a song full of bravado and build up until implosion, but what’s significant here is the usage of a song from what could loosely be called a side project.

For years, Homme and whoever else he can find had been releasing what they called “Desert Sessions,” which basically means whoever was available went down to the Joshua Tree studio Rancho de Luna and recorded weird, atypical music for the fun of it. Tons of people came through those sessions, including one Polly Jean Harvey, but  anyway, a song from that showed up on a Queens record, and everyone loved it. The song “Make it Wit Chu” is a slow love filled romp in the hey, and finds the band scaling back the urgency for a pretty sweet overall song.

Over the next few years though, little happened with the band, unless you count a quick tour presenting the first album being played in its entirety. Apparently by the end of the tour the band was over it, and yeah, seems totally understandable. Anyway, a long time passed, which for a band riding high can be a deal breaker. It wasn’t without merit though. Homme, during a knee surgery, was technically dead for several minutes, and the long road back was marred by depression, injury and a lack of focus. It wasn’t until 6 years after the previous record that the next QOTSA record would be released. And thankfully, it didn't suck.

Not only didn’t it suck, but it was one of the best returns to music I’ve ever seen. In my years there’s no better album by the band than 2013’s “...Like Clockwork.” It's a masterpiece, and in many ways, would serve as a fitting parting gift, if the band decided to hang it up. Over the course of forty-six minutes, Homme not only manages to bring people into the world he’s been living in for a while, but he opens himself up to some of the more honest songwriting and pain acknowledgement he ever showed us.
​

Songs like the haunting ballad “The Vampyre of Time and Memory” is still and frightening in a Polanski film short of way, while the song “My God is the Sun” is a mesmerizing example of brute force in the California desert. There’s not a bad song on the album, and that’s ultimately where strength comes from. Also great about the record is Homme’s ability to squeeze more guests into meaningful roles than most Rap stars can ever get to be on their records. Over the course of the ten songs we get guests spots from returning champions such as Grohl and Reznor, oliveri, Lanegan,  and Alex Turner, but it doesn’t end there. New drummer Jon Theodore tears it up in much the same way he did with the Mars Volta, but we also get the epically awesome Elton John, who chimes in on piano and vocals on the record's best track “Fairweather Friends,” which is insane. The track also features the full band and Grohl and Reznor. It’s an epic song that everyone should already know, if you’re indeed a fan of the band.

​“...Like Clockwork,” which also was my album of year in 2013, is a strong reminder that not everything that goes away does so and then loses strength, but rather that a true return to form is possible, especially when you have a great group of people who are all focused on the same goal. I look forward to the day where the world is graced with another album by the best living rock band in the world, Queens of the Stone Age, or at least a new Them Crooked Vultures record. Any of those will do! Thanks for reading, sorry this took so damn long!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Landon Murray is a music connooisseur who craves sounds of all shapes and textures. He's seen over 2000 bands and looks forward to welcoming you into his world of sound, 

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    August 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    30 Seconds To Mars
    90's Rock Bands
    ALIVE 2007
    Al Jourgensen
    ALL THESE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE
    Animal Collective
    Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavillion
    Anti-Christ Superstar
    Antics
    Arcade Fire Suburbs
    Arcade Fire Top 10
    Armenian Rock Music
    ART OF COMPOSING
    As The Palaces Burn
    Avalanches Since I Left You
    Badmotorfinger
    Beach House
    Beastie Boys Ill Communication
    Beck Odelay
    Best Albums Of 2015
    BEST ALBUMS OF 2020
    Best Albums Of The 1990's
    Best Albums Of The 2000's
    BEST ALBUMS OF THE 80'S
    Best Albums Of The 90's
    Best Bjork Songs
    Best Black Sabbath Songs
    Best Concerts Of 2015
    Best Converge Songs
    Best Driving Music
    BEST KILLERS SONGS
    Best Lamb Of God Songs
    Best Metal Albums
    Best Metal Albums Of The 2000's
    Best Slayer Songs
    BEST SONGS OF 2020
    Best System Of A Down Songs
    Bjork Homogenic
    Black Sabbath
    Bon Iver
    Bounce Music
    Canadian Music Duo
    Children Of The Grave
    Chris Cornell
    CHVRCHES
    Comeback Albums
    COURTNEY BARNETT
    Cradle Of Filth
    Daft Punk Great Album
    DAFT PUNK LIVE
    Dan Deacon Best Songs
    Dan Deacon Interview
    David Bowie
    David Bowie Guests
    Death From Above 1979
    Deftones
    Dimmu Borgir
    DISINTEGRATION ALBUM REVIEW
    EAGLES OF DEATH METAL
    FLAMING LIPS
    FOLKLORE ALBUM REVIEW
    Foo Fighters
    FOO FIGHTERS COLOUR AND THE SHAPE
    Great Albums Of The 90's
    Great Driving Records
    Great Interpol Tracks
    Great Southern Trendkill
    Halloween Weekend
    HANS ZIMMER
    Heartbroken Love Songs
    History Of Black Sabbath
    History Of Pantera
    Homogenic Songs
    Iceland Singer
    IDLES
    Interpol Best Songs
    Iron Maiden
    Jane Doe
    Jeff Buckley
    Joshua Homme Queens
    Judas Priest
    Kevin Parker Genuis
    KILLER MIKE EL-P
    Killswitch Engage
    LATERALUS ALBUM
    Liam Finn
    Loveless Great Album My Bloody Valentine
    M83
    MASSIVE ATTACK 100TH WINDOW
    Massive Attack Best Album
    Mastodon Leviathan
    MC HAMMER 2 LEGIT TO QUIT BAD VIDEO
    Mechanical Animals
    MEGAN THEE STALLION
    Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness
    Meshuggah Nothing
    Michael Jackson Dangerous
    Ministry
    MUMFORD AND SONS BEST SONGS
    Muse Top 10 Songs
    Neutral Milk Hotel
    New Orleans Music Festival
    New Orleans Republic
    New Wave Of American Heavy Metal
    Nineinch Nails
    Nine Inch Nails Sad
    Nirvana In Utero
    Nothingface
    Nothingface Violence Review
    Outkast
    Ozzfest
    Ozzy Osbourne Vocals
    Panda Bear
    Pantera History
    Paranoid
    POLITICAL RAP
    Portishead
    PORTISHEAD DUMMY
    Post Rock New York
    Queens Of The Stone Age Great Albums
    Queens Of The Stone Age Top Ten
    Queen Triumphant Songs
    RADIOHEAD Best Songs
    Radiohead Ok Computer
    RADIOHEADS BEST ALBUM
    Radiohead Top Ten
    Rage Against The Machine Debut
    RAMING DJAWADI
    Randy Blythe
    Reign In Blood
    ROBERT SMITH
    RUN THE JEWELS
    RYAN ADAMS
    Salem Metal Converge
    Shaky Knees Festival
    Shaky Knees Music Festival
    Shameless Love Of Taylor Swift
    Slayer
    Smashing Pumpkins Best Songs
    Songs For The Deaf
    Songs For The Deaf Queens Of The Stone Age
    Soulfly
    Soundgarden
    STORY OF NINE INCH NAILS
    Superunknown Album
    Tame Impala
    TAME IMPALA LONERISM
    TAYLOR SWIFT
    The Beatles Driving
    THE CURE
    THE CURE BEST SONGS
    The Downward Spiral Great Album
    THE KILLERS TOP TEN
    The Physical World
    The Strokes
    THE WEEKND
    Thrash Metal
    Tony Iommi Guitar
    TOOL
    TOOL GREAT ALBUMS
    TOOL TOP TEN
    Top 10
    TOP 40 ALBUMS OF THE 2010's
    TOP SONGS OF 2015
    Top Ten Bjork Songs
    Top Ten Black Sabbath Songs
    Top Ten Interpol Songs
    Top Ten Lamb Of God Songs
    Top Ten Ministry Songs
    Top Ten Slayer Songs
    Top Ten System Of A Down Songs
    Toxicity
    TRENT REZNOR
    Triumphant Songs
    Turn On The Bright Lights
    Tv On The Radio
    Type O Negative
    Valentines Day Songs
    Vinnie Paul Drumming
    Voodoo Music Experience
    Warpaint
    Watch The Throne
    Weezer Blue Album
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs Best Songs
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs Top Ten Songs
    YOSHIMI

    RSS Feed


    Are you looking for the old Wordpress blog posts?
    Wordpress Feed

Background Image
Site by Shake&Blur
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.