The Critical Asshole: Listening to...

I’ll cut to the chase: it’s not very good; Queens is an honest to goodness “good” band too, which is why this is so difficult to say.

On Era Vulgaris, the fifth release from the stoner-supergroup with the ever-revolving lineup led by resident scary asshole Josh Homme, the group (I’m guessing) has churned out a factory made, run of the mill, rock album. It’s overall, an unimpressive, bland effort, and I probably wouldn’t pay more than 8 or 9 bucks for the disc. It’s just…a little “out of place.”

Era Vulgaris seems out of place in the sense that, while it does challenge the listener, it doesn’t do so in any sort of innovative way. Queens play rock music. period; and while 2002’s Songs for the Deafwas a listener favorite, not much has changed then besides a mukier recording style and an SNL stint featuring Will Ferrell on cowbell (“I’ve got a fever!”).

This album is far from bad, like I said, it’s just not very good. The tunes starting the album sound like the members of the group had disparate ideas of what the shape of the album and the individual tracks should be (“I’m Designer” and “Misfit Love”). Others are distrubingly simple, but perfectly acceptable. I would have accepted a full album of tunes like “Sick, Sick, Sick.” No matter who you are, you understand rock music. you may not like it, or it may offend the core of your very being, but it’s easy to understand.

The great thing about Queens of the Stone Age was their “scary” factor. Seriously. The video for “No One Knows” from Songs was a rude awakening from my Beatles-filled days right after graduating from college. Queens of the Stone Age is music for a slasher movie. It’s your worst fears made very real and tangible. For a kid like me that’s seen everything, Queens is a sincerely frightening band (for the record, I’d bet on Homme against any of those pussies from Slipknot).

I suppose the problem is a lack of a coordinated effort. It’s had to be scared of the monster under the bed and the Boogey Man in the clset when the two can’t work together to arch their shadows in the most effective way.

I recommend one song to obtain from this album:

“River in the Road” - a galloping, epicly dark, brooding tune. Reminds me of a sedate, more earnest version of Iron Maiden.