Queens of the Stone Age- Villians
It's been years since we've last heard new Queens music. Well, it's been a lot longer than that for some people reading this. It's been an undetermined amount of time for anyone not reading this because who knows how long no one listened to something, right? Anyway, this album is great. Allow me to explain.
The previous album "...Like Clockwork" holds a very special place in my heart. I was in a real shitty spot, so I flew out to California to be with friends. While I was out there, a friend in the Queens circle sent me the album before it came out. It was very much my best friend through my nonsense. The lyrics, the songs, the interviews with the band around the time.. it was all perfect timing for my head space. Turns out there was quite the amount of turmoil going on in the band as well. Now typically a band that has a "softer" album wipes their tears after getting flamed for being "pussies" and then releases their next album to be nothing but macho man riffs. This album doesn't act embarrassed of the previous record at all. While you can tell it came from a more grounded place lyrically, musically it sounds a lot
While all Queens albums truly stand on their own, you can always find similar traits here and there from previous albums. Songs like "Fortress" keep that more sensitive approach the previous record explored with melodic vocal patterns that are catchy but frail. The song was written for Josh's daughter. Without watering down the actual lyrics themselves, he explains how inescapable depression and great loss is, and how he hopes hers is not as bad as his got. Songs like "The Evil Has Landed" take a similar feel to Them Crooked Vultures with a real groove oriented, loose rock n' roll feel.
Overall, the album again is great. It's tough to change styles without sounding like you're either faking it or barely keeping up. These guys seem to effortlessly swoop up various feels, tones, and often times members to create their own kind of sound, while still being catchy enough for (mostly) everyone to enjoy.
The previous album "...Like Clockwork" holds a very special place in my heart. I was in a real shitty spot, so I flew out to California to be with friends. While I was out there, a friend in the Queens circle sent me the album before it came out. It was very much my best friend through my nonsense. The lyrics, the songs, the interviews with the band around the time.. it was all perfect timing for my head space. Turns out there was quite the amount of turmoil going on in the band as well. Now typically a band that has a "softer" album wipes their tears after getting flamed for being "pussies" and then releases their next album to be nothing but macho man riffs. This album doesn't act embarrassed of the previous record at all. While you can tell it came from a more grounded place lyrically, musically it sounds a lot
While all Queens albums truly stand on their own, you can always find similar traits here and there from previous albums. Songs like "Fortress" keep that more sensitive approach the previous record explored with melodic vocal patterns that are catchy but frail. The song was written for Josh's daughter. Without watering down the actual lyrics themselves, he explains how inescapable depression and great loss is, and how he hopes hers is not as bad as his got. Songs like "The Evil Has Landed" take a similar feel to Them Crooked Vultures with a real groove oriented, loose rock n' roll feel.
Overall, the album again is great. It's tough to change styles without sounding like you're either faking it or barely keeping up. These guys seem to effortlessly swoop up various feels, tones, and often times members to create their own kind of sound, while still being catchy enough for (mostly) everyone to enjoy.
-Novak