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Last Active 01-03-23 11:21 pm
Joined 06-03-16
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| Neek'd of the Stone Age
A list years in the making | | 7 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
Era Vulgaris
When even their weakest album is full of standouts and complexity in my eyes, it's easy to see why they're my favorite band. While it may feature the weakest moments in their catalogue ("Sick, Sick Sick," and "I'm Designer"), it gets it right far more often than it gets it wrong. “Misfit Love” can only be described as the soundtrack to a drunken sex robot unhinged from his programming and set on a murderous rampage, and best epitomizes the sound Homme was going for here. We also get some hints of the deeper and more sensitive musings to be found later on ...Like Clockwork with the lovely "Into the Hollow" and "Suture Up Your Future." Throw in "3s and 7s" and "Make it Wit Chu" and you've got what would be the best album in many weaker bands' discographies. | | 6 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
Lullabies to Paralyze
While it pains me to put this so low, it's hard to argue that the album isn't somewhat uneven. The album switched the band's famous desert vibes into the forest, creating a deeply atmospheric and creepy work that doesn't sound quite like anything else they've put out. It's not that Homme doesn't handle the pop-rock leanings of "In My Head" or "Little Sister" and the monolithic hard rockers like "Someone's in the Wolf" masterfully, but there is a bit of inconsistency to the music on the whole. As great as something like "Burn the Witch" is, it doesn't excuse the confused switching better the acoustic opener and the punk-ish "Medication." However, the second half is far more assured in both it's quality and pacing, making for an excellent conclusion to a great, if messy chapter in the band's history. | | 5 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
This album has just held up incredibly well since my first listen. From the upbeat and fun "If Only" to the massive and endlessly-jammable "Mexicola," it's barely fallen off my radar since that fateful day I decided to give it a try. It's not without a couple faults such as a somewhat messy middle stretch and some lackluster vocals due to Homme still getting the hang of his own voice, but it's impossible to say that he didn't perfectly capture the sound of the desert here. Throughout its entire runtime, the album paints an atmosphere of searing heat, beautiful babes, and burning gasoline. It's not hard to see why I'm reminded of this album whenever I watch Mad Max. | | 4 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
Rated R
Probably the most scattershot and varied record the Queens have ever put out, it's also a genuine highlight of their body of work. Expanding on the massive but narrow sounds of their debut, Homme seems willing to try anything and everything this time around, which no doubt led to the strange psychedelic repetitiveness of "Monsters in the Parasol" but also the toweringly beautiful "Better Living Through Chemistry." In the end, despite the relatively mixed bag, the positives easily outweigh the negatives. Every song here has something to add, the emotional "In the Fade," the stoner chill-out of "Auto Pilot," and the maddeningly fun outro, what isn't there to like here? Aside from "Monsters" of course. | | 3 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
Villains
Yeah yeah yeah, you guys don't like this one. I'll admit to being a little frustrated in the direction this took after the blissful heights that ...Like Clockwork took us to as well. However, after a long time of pondering and making sure it wasn't just the hype, I've decided I like the album as much if not more than when it was first released. Leaning closer to the dance-rock of Era Vulgaris, the Queens nevertheless have managed to put forth an album of surprising depth and thoughtfulness. The loving and gorgeous "Fortress" only gets better on each listen, "Un-Reborn Again" proves time and again to be far more interesting and fun than its title, and "Villains of Circumstance" easily matches any beauty and longing present on their previous masterpiece. Sure, some cuts like "Head Like a Haunted House" and "Hideaway" may seem to run on auto-pilot from time to time, but overall I'm ecstatic at the quality of this record, and I can't wait to see what's next. | | 2 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
Songs for the Deaf
Once the undisputed classic of QotSA's catalogue, Songs for the Deaf is essentially as far as my love for an album can be taken without emotion being taken into account. Because let's be honest, feeling is the only thing lacking in this monster of an album. Sure there might be some filler (I'm looking at you "Do it Again") and some tracks may over-stay their welcome ("The Sky Is Fallin'), but the stoic masculinity is only major problem holding this back. But either way, it's fucking brilliant. The terrifying "Song for the Deaf" and eerily beautiful "Mosquito Song" alone would be enough to guarantee this a 5, but they had to go and throw on heaps and heaps of more classic songs like "Go with the Flow," "God Is on the Radio," "No One Knows," and "A Song for the Dead." Goddamn this rules. | | 1 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
I'm just going to be clear with y'all and admit that this is my favorite album of all time. Nothing has ever come close to hitting as hard as this did with it's monster riffs and gorgeous production, neither of which tries to mask its massive and bleeding heart. This is real rock music, not afraid to wear its hard on its sleeve but proud enough to remain masculine and confident. Real men aren't afraid to feel, and if Homme isn't a real man, I don't know who is. I don't even know what else to say here. Oh, and "I Appear Missing" is the best rock song ever written. I think that's it. | |
neekafat
11.19.17 | I finally did it. | Papa Universe
11.19.17 | hmm. i agree. how peculiar" | neekafat
11.19.17 | Shit, even on 3" That's not supposed to happen :/ | DoofusWainwright
11.19.17 | QOTSA are really entering 'the major band that could have been' territory now...I mean what's their legacy? What really is it? They built a head of steam by 'Songs for the Deaf' and then slowly drooped and entered a premature mature phase whilst also delivering flops like 'Era Vulgaris' and 'Villains'.
After 'SFTD' they could have gone on to become a legendary band...that they most certainly are not. | neekafat
11.19.17 | You're telling me ...Like Clockwork isn't legendary?
Even if you don't like their latest release, LC is so good that it cancels it out tbh | butcherboy
11.19.17 | i only ever listen to 4,5,7 and parts of 2 nowadays.. Rated R will always be their classic to me, their best one, beauty of an album.. | DoofusWainwright
11.19.17 | 'Like Clockwork' would be legendary if the band were all well into their fifties - instead it's one of the finest ever monuments to early onset rock n' roll impotence.
It's a good album, it's hardly legendary. One to put your slipper wearing feet up on the table to, before reclining with a scotch and a cigar. Slight raise in blood pressure?
Breaking sweat? Mosh pit? You must be joking. | butcherboy
11.19.17 | Smooth Sailing is the only tune on LC i can actually re-listen to.. what Doof said, album is incredibly strong in the most boring way possible.. they used to be a bad-ass band.. | DoofusWainwright
11.19.17 | First three albums and a few songs from 'Lullabies' and 'Clockwork' are all you need really | butcherboy
11.19.17 | nah, i fucking love Era, though I'm in a stark minority in that sense.. something about how stiff-jointed and dense its production is.. | neekafat
11.19.17 | Era is indeed a fine album, but you better knock it off with that LC blasphemy on my thread | DoofusWainwright
11.19.17 | 'Era' has a few good songs and a lot of good parts of songs...next to awful parts of songs.
Frustrating album. | neekafat
11.19.17 | Misfit Love, Into the Hollow, Make it Wit Chu, 3s and 7s, Suture Up Your Future, all amazeballs | DoofusWainwright
11.19.17 | I quite like the first three on 'Era' actually. The last two and the 'hidden' title track are the most frustrating and as I said before - these are the ones that most obviously have good ideas wedged next to awful ideas.
Stuff like 'Make It' and 'Suture' are ok, similar to previous things they'd already done though, not world beaters. | EvoHavok
11.19.17 | Pains me to see 6 there, but lovely insight into each record. | neekafat
11.19.17 | I actually think the first three are easily the weakest cuts off of the record haha
Just remember it's still an 8/10 for me Evo! And thanks (: | RippingCorpse1986
11.19.17 | I have a soft spot for 6, since Little Sister was my first QOTSA tune.
Nice list. | neekafat
11.19.17 | Me too, 6 was actually the first album by them I jammed | neekafat
11.19.17 | Hells yeah man, especially Sky Valley | neekafat
11.19.17 | Blues for the Red Sun rules too tho | Kompys2000
11.19.17 | I have so much nostalgia for ...Like Clockwork- my friend loaned it to me back in 9th grade when it first came out and it pretty much blew my mind. "I Sat By the Ocean" is and always will be a total jam. | neekafat
11.20.17 | Heck yeah dude that song is killer, remember jamming it for the first time Junior year, what a discovery | LethalPaintball
11.20.17 | swap 4 and 2 and you got my ranking tbh | neekafat
11.20.17 | Eh I can live with that, glad to see some Villains love here | someguest
11.20.17 | The new one is way too high. Other than that the ranking is spot on. 4 and 5 switch spots for me sometimes. | neekafat
11.20.17 | 6 and 5 are probs the closest for me tbh | someguest
11.20.17 | 5 is their only record that has that high in the desert, fucked up on a long drive feel. And sometimes that elevates it for me. | neekafat
11.20.17 | Agreed man, that's what Mexicola is for me. Can't get enough of that track | Demon of the Fall
11.20.17 | Move Villains down 3 places/swap the top 2 & that's my ranking. I cannot lavish enough praise on I Appear Missing so kudos for that.
For me Lullabies is the underrated QOTSA record, really wasn't a fan of EV or the new one. Band rules overall though. | neekafat
11.20.17 | I get you man I just don't really understand the hate for the new one | someguest
11.25.17 | Era has aged well. Villains is already out of rotation. | Astral Abortis
11.25.17 | Gross list. Rated R and self-titled are 1 and 2. Villains and Like Clockwork are very far down at the bottom of their discography. | someguest
11.25.17 | No, just dumb. | artiswar
11.25.17 | I listen to Clockwork and feel nothing. I listen to Era and I get feels. | someguest
11.25.17 | Weird. It might be the best rock record of this decade this far. | someguest
11.25.17 | Motherfuckerrr! | chemicalmarriage
11.25.17 | 2 is 1 | neekafat
11.25.17 | @Astral wut
@artis wut
@somegust [2] | Astral Abortis
11.25.17 | I hate their latest two albums. Like Clockwork kinda killed any passion I had for the band, especially when I saw them on the release tour and they were absolutely dreadful. Went home early that night. One of the most important bands for me growing up and now they just release total rubbish.
S/T and Rated R will always reign supreme. | neekafat
11.25.17 | ...Like Clockwork is easily my favorite album of all time so idk what you're talking about but I'm sorry you feel that way | butcherboy
11.25.17 | Like clockwork trumping era is the easiest example or marketing towering over actual quality.. First time that band stooped low enough to commercialize personal struggle and other such feeble shite | neekafat
11.26.17 | Ha
Ha
...yeah no | someguest
11.27.17 | "First time that band stooped low enough to commercialize personal struggle"
"5.0 classic
Van Morrison Astral Weeks" | neekafat
11.27.17 | Lololol | neekafat
11.27.17 | Plz yes |
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