Queens Of The Stone Age - Queens Of The Stone Age
After disbanding Kyuss (metal legends), Josh Homme found himself without very much to do. After touring with The Screaming Trees, Josh decided to put together a band of himself on guitar and vocals, Nick Oliveri on bass (of Kyuss fame), drummer Alfredo Hernandez (also a former Kyuss member) and new recruit Dave Catching on guitar and keyboards. Working with a revolving lineup of musicians from bands such as The Screaming Trees, Dinosaur Jr. and Soundgarden, the group released a series of 7" recordings, working under the name Gamma Ray. Homme later renamed the group Queens of The Stone Age. The group released their self titled debut album in 1998.
On their first album, instead of making Kyuss 2, Queens of the Stone Age had a different approach to music. At the time, there was (as still is) nothing similar to Josh Homme's songwriting. The signature QOTSA sound is all here and what a unique sound it is. The fuzzed out trebleless, mid-heavy guitars. The tom fills. Nick Oliveri's basslines. But most of all, Josh Homme's unique vocals with his excellent falsettos. Queens Of The Stone Age seem to have a great attitude towards music. While they like to rock out and make creative and different music, they seem to be focused on, above all, writing good songs. They take themselves seriously, but not too seriously. Or better yet, they take their music seriously, but don't take themselves too seriously. One only needs to look at the cover of this album to see than Queens Of The Stone Age are a fun band.
Many band's debut albums hint at their potential. This record did just that, however, it also went beyond that. This album showed that Queens Of The Stone Age are a great band and that they're only going to get better. Their music is appealing to just about anyone. The songs are easy to listen to and many tracks (such as the album's opener, "Regular John" ) make excellent radio singles. At the same time, however, Queens are a musos band, with all of the band's players being excellent at their instruments. The music is very riff based, which means the band write some excellent riffs.
Queens Of The Stone Age have something for everyone in their music. While some may not find it to be the most interesting music there is, there is something to appreciate in every song. Whether it be Josh's unique songwriting, the band's undeniable skill on their instruments, or just the fun that comes out of listening to their music, "Queens Of The Stone Age" is an excellent record and only the beginning of the wonderful world of Queens Of The Stone Age.
Pros
- Great riffs
- Fun
- Badass instrument work
Cons
- Not the most diverse record
- May seem boring after a while to some listeners
Reccomended Tracks
Regular John
Avon
If Only
Give The Mule What He Wants
FINAL RATING: 4/5
