by 
Prairie "Oyster" Dog
November 20, 2009
To say that there were lofty expectations for the new “supergroup” Them Crooked Vultures would be an understatement. With John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, and Dave Grohl of Nirvana (and Foo Fighters and Tenacious D and Probot and QOTSA and pretty much everything cool known to man), nothing short of greatness could occur, right?Well, the good news is that the album is a keeper. Whether it lives up to the hype depends on personal preference—but, frankly—Them Crooked Vultures is the album other so-called rockers should be paying attention to before unleashing another half-assed side project (I’m looking at you, Slash). The bar has been raised.The Vultures
name itself could have been dropped and advertised as a new Queens record without anyone raising an eyebrow. This shouldn’t come as a surprise—Homme handles both guitar and lead vocals. Anyone expecting this to sound just like Zeppelin is bound to be disappointed. Grohl’s playing isn’t as pronounced as his other work with Homme (2002’s incredible Songs for the Deaf), but the guy is still a monster. It’s a testament to his skill that he can consistently hang with the best in the business and be as loud or quiet as he needs to be and never miss a beat.
There were a few instances when I got lost during this record. I stupidly wondered, “who is playing piano?” That would be John Paul Jones. Not that it’s a bad thing, necessarily; I simply forgot I wasn’t listening to Queens of the Stone Age or the Desert Sessions. “Interlude with Ludes,” as the title suggests, is a drugged-out, spacey affair, while “Dead End Friends” sounds like it could have come straight off 2005’s underrated Lullabies to Paralyze.
Though the Queens sound is the most prevalent, there are flashes of Zep scattered throughout and not surprisingly, they’re standouts. “Scumbag Blues” sounds like a distant cousin of the best tracks on Physical Graffiti—Jones’ keyboards, Homme’s mad falsetto, and Grohl’s channeling of John Bonham are relentless. When “Elephants” begins, it’s like listening to the bastard child of Houses of the Holy’s “The Ocean,” until the rest of the band kicks in at a breakneck pace eventually slowing to a bluesy crawl.
The first single, “New Fang,” is another gem and easily holds up against QOTSA’s radio “hits.” Similarly, I can imagine “Mind Eraser, No Chaser” blasting out cars and garages for years to come. The twisted opener, “No One Loves Me and Neither Do I,” could hit the charts—in a distant bizarro universe, that is. Nearly eight minutes long, “Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up” stomps along with Jones’ dizzying keys leading the way, while the album closer, “Spinning in Daffodils” leaves listeners wanting more. Not an easy accomplishment considering the album clocks in well over an hour.
So is the album worth the hype? I’ll put it simply: if you like Queens of the Stone Age, you should like Them Crooked Vultures. Don’t expect Robert Plant to come in screaming like a banshee—hell, don’t expect Grohl either—just expect a fucking stellar record.
- Prairie “Oyster” Dog
1. No One Loves Me & Neither Do I
2. Mind Eraser, No Chaser
3. New Fang
4. Dead End Friends
5. Elephants
6. Scumbag Blues
7. Bandoliers
8. Reptiles
9. Interlude with Ludes
10. Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up
11. Caligulove
12. Gunman
13. Spinning in Daffodils
out of 5 weasels.
Comments
No Responses to “Turncoat Turntable 007: Them Crooked Vultures – s/t”