If you lived in Palm Desert and were capable of sonic demolition, you'd be Homme by now.

Queens Of The Stone Age - Era Vulgaris

[4/5] It's been four years since MTV tried to steal Queens Of The Stone Age from desert stoners and expatriated Kyuss fans and two years since Lullabies To Paralyze debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200, and somehow the trip-rock collective have clung fastidiously to their self-contained, cocksure swagger. While Lullabies and 2002's Songs For The Deaf were darkly sleek ensemble pieces featuring rotating lineups and a cavalcade of guests, Era Vulgaris ("the common era" for all you Latin-core kids) is a gritty, lo-fi grind from a studio-sized universe seemingly revolved around King Queen Josh Homme. Sure, the supporting cast make their presence felt (both Julian Casablancas and QOTSA alumnus Mark Lanegan make appearances), but the tone is basement level intimacy. If there ever was gloss on Era Vulgaris, the Queens' power-drill riffs and obscenely filthy beats sanded it away as evidenced on the snarling opener "Turning On The Screw." Revealing a familiar blueprint for the 11 tracks, "Screw"'s visceral droning collapses on itself in a kinetic cacophony before rebuilding even more sinister. The distorted disturbia of "Sick, Sick, Sick" and the psychedelic rodeo of "3's & 7's" will appease both Rated R-era diehards and MTV bandwagoneers. While the live production lends urgency, you'll wish a few shredders were slightly clearer. Still, Homme's modern macabre lyricism and experimental, melodic prowess (and departure from the blues) make this a more complete album than Lullabies. And more importantly, his cocksure swagger remains thick. (INTERSCOPE) Tim Karan

ROCKS LIKE:
Desert Sessions' Volumes 9 & 10
Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers
Eagles Of Death Metal's Death By Sexy

IN-STORE SESSION WITH FRONTMAN JOSH HOMME

How tired are you of answering questions about Latin?
You know, it just started, and I gotta admit, I forget how often people don't get things. [Laughs.] They're like, "I don't have time to get it. Can you just give it instead?" But I honestly think that makes the title even more valid because it's a modern day title. I know it's in one of the world's oldest languages. [Laughs.] But that's the only aspect that's old school. This is what we sound like modern. And it ended up loosely putting a rope around the record and pulling it all together because this record is about the generation we live in.

As far as dead languages go, there's really nowhere to go but down from Latin...
Yeah, I could do a Sanskrit thing or Aramaic. But you know what? People aren't gonna get that.

Lullabies To Paralyze seemed dark-from the tone to the band turmoil to the cover. Did things lighten up for Era Vulgaris?
Yeah, I think this record is sick in a "Let's go out in the nighttime sick." And I think the last record is, "I'm actually sick. Sick in the head." But it made this record possible. I think the expectation was that we'd make Songs For The Deaf 2 with Lullabies, and we didn't on purpose. And that really cut us free to do whatever we wanted now. I'm really proud of this record. It's like, I love this album and there's nothing you can do about it. [Laughs.]

There is, however, a definite lack of cowbell this time. Anticipating a backlash?
No. I'm anticipating a tongue-lashing, which in Roman times was huge. [Laughs.]

You had Trent Reznor work on the title track and then didn't put it on the album. It just didn't fit the tone?
To be honest, I just think it's funnier that it's not on the record. It's a song that could've easily gone on the record but didn't fit in the sequencing that well. And to me, it's funny that the title track isn't on the record. That either means that I have a real shitty sense of humor or that I know something extra. [Laughs.]

In your ideal scenario, what would be the first words you'd like to hear from someone after they listen to this album?
Shit. That's a good question. [Eagles Of Death Metal vocalist] Jesse Hughes-or "Boots Electric" as I like to call him-does this thing when he plays onstage that I call the "cocksucker face," where his mouth is open and he's like, "Oh, yeah!" It's so rad. I love it. Instead of a word, I'd rather just see people do that. [Laughs.] It's like whispering, "Oh, yeah!" to someone from afar. It's an internalized high-five. -Tim Karan




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