Music Review - Queens of the Stone Age “Era Vulgaris”
Josh Homme and friends bring the ruckus with a gritty followup to Lullabies to Paralyze.
Queens of the Stone Age, in my opinion, is a group that has only gotten better with each release. The catchy-but-flawed self-titled debut gave way to the near-perfect Rated R, which beget their actually-perfect Songs for the Deaf. That album’s success, due to its fantastic musicianship and radio-friendly tone, rocketed QotSA into the public eye and legitimate fame. It was only natural that their next release, Lullabies to Paralyze, be underrated and overlooked. But Lullabies presented a much more mature sound and even gave the impression that QotSA frontman Homme was starting to settle down a little. Lullabies (and Homme) was focused, consistent, and rarely out of control. However, the band contradicted this image while on stage, and now they completely shatter it with Era Vulgaris, a grungy, angry, and off-kilter melting pot that mirrors its source material (Hollywood).
The album starts off with the infectious “Turnin’ on the Screw” - a song composed of berating lyrics and bizarre, off-putting guitar riffs. It becomes clear that while Lullabies might have been trying to capitalize on the band’s previous successes in Songs for the Deaf, Homme is no longer concerned about this and is content to experiment and write whatever the hell he wants. This attitude only becomes more apparent as the next track “Sick, Sick, Sick” moves into a brash chorus that is reminiscent of the band’s debut album, and it emanates throughout the entire album, making it harder to get into than the band’s previous two releases.
The album does take a few short breaks of pace in the form of “Into the Hollow” and “Make It Wit Chu” - both re-releases from Homme’s earlier projects, refined into vastly superior-sounding tracks. They are reminders of the band’s gentler side, but neither last long as they both precede some of the album’s ‘crazier’ tracks.
Regardless of the album’s general atmosphere of non-conformity, there are still some very catchy riffs that may result in mainstream approval, though I predict this will be their worst-received album since their debut. “If Make It Wit Chu” becomes a single, the album will likely enjoy a flood of attention and sales as this is the most accessible track, similar to the way the mellow, summer-friendly “Amber” helped 311’s From Chaos enjoy widespread success. While Era Vulgaris represents the first time a QotSA followup hasn’t surpassed their previous efforts, it serves as a great throwback to their old sound, and comforting proof that Homme hasn’t softened on us just yet.
Standout tracks:
Turnin’ on the Screw
Into the Hollow
Battery Acid
Make It Wit Chu
Suture Up Your Future
Overall:
While I started out disappointed, repeated listens have caused this album to grow on me. Great, creative sound production and wonderful writing prevail in the long run, and I welcome Queens of the Stone Age back to insanity. A worthy purchase for QotSA fans, and one of the most unique releases of the year.
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I still like ‘I’m Designer’ the best.