Do they TICK all the right boxes, or is it TIME they gave up...?
I'm not sure who it was who decided to use the above puns, but whoever it was pretty much sucks at writing. Totally wasn't me, 'cause it's not as though this is my blog or anything...naaah, somebody else did it. I was hacked.
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| Happy couple. |
Onwards. It's been 6 bloody years, but finally a new Queens Of The Stone Age record has arrived. It's here. The sensation of anticipation is almost palatable. 2007's Era Vulgaris proved to be relatively popular with the core fanbase, but as so often is the case, there were (and are) many clamouring for the band's earlier sounds to be revisited and reinstated. This is a notion I widely reject. To maintain freshness and originality, I believe that it's paramount for a band's or artist's style to develop and remould itself in time. Some people don't seem to realise that people age and mature. I can't help but compare this to the way in which with each progressive Arctic Monkeys release, their fans have complained and called for the youthful and brash sounds of their impressive debut (Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not) to remain. Humbug was the tipping point, and rather fittingly, said album was co-produced by none other than QOTSA's Josh Homme. Like clockwork! (I'm a genius.) Now that we're on the subject of Alex Turner's Sheffield/LA based band, Like Clockwork (screw it, I'm not writing in the ellipsis any more) features a whole host of interesting collaborations, including the Arctic Monkeys frontman. Other recruits (get this) include Jake Shears (of Scissor Sisters fame), Sir Elton John (so now that's two actual 'queens'), Dave Grohl (back in the band once again, on most of the album's tracks), Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), and (harking back to the band's earlier years) Mark Lanegan and ex-bassist Nick Olivieri. Hot damn. I must admit that upon hearing the news of this diverse range of contributing artists, my excitement had quickly dissipated. After all this time, this album NEEDED to sound like Queens Of The Stone Age and not some complete clusterfuck. Having listened to the record multiple times now, I can assure you that it does indeed still sound like QOTSA. Not only that, but it's one of the best new albums I've heard in a very, very long time. Better than Songs For The Deaf? Quite possibly...
Opening track Keep Your Eyes Peeled has one of the most brilliantly controlled dark and grimy guitar tones I've ever experienced, which is only heightened by a stingy stoner-rock bassline and the promotional video work by Boneface. The style is absolutely fantastic. It has to be seen to be believed, in all honesty. YouTube. Now. In fact, the album's texture is outstanding from start to finish. Jake Shears provides some backing vocals on this track, though you may not have noticed on your first four or five hundred listens... It's subtle, but you can hear him; and that's exactly how it should be. It shows just how well respected Josh Homme's crew are in the music industry, that musicians of the calibre of men such as Sir Elton John and Jake Shears (because let's be honest here, the Scissor Sisters were and are pretty good... No? Just me then) are willing to and want to contribute for the benefit of the music, rather than taking centre stage, taking personal and really making it feel like an A-list collaboration/party. This isn't Gorillaz, after all.
Now that we're here, it has to be said that all guest appearances on Like Clockwork are handled in such careful moderation. Alex Turner's barely noticeable on the irresistible groove-fest of If I Had A Tail (think David Bowie meets Them Crooked Vultures) until the very end, with Trent Reznor and Sir Elton John's vocal contributions on Kalopsia and Fairweather Friends respectively being slightly more prominent in the mix. Both tracks (directly next to each other on the tracklist) are jam-packed with energy in their own unique ways. I'm really struggling to describe the individual tracks' brilliance on this record, for fear of not doing them justice. As for the instrumental helping hands, Sir Elton's infamous piano playing is inevitably very much noticeable, with Turner wielding his axe and Grohl wielding his sticks to excellent effect. No surprises there, really. It's also worth noting that considering how many times the line-up changes from the accredited line up of Mr. Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Dean Ferita and Michael Shuman on such a regular (trackly!) basis, just how consistent this LP is. I dare you to play a little game of 'count the drummers'.
I fear I may have discussed the surprising cameos for too long, so let's get a bit more general here. Homme's sounding better than ever. His vocal range is stellar and his vocal delivery is at times chillingly perfect. He just seems to be able to wonderfully compliment every style and sound on offer on this album - going from floating softly to being spine-joltingly commanding with the seemingly effortless flick of a switch. Must be hidden on his back somewhere. Damn cyborgs... Lyrically he's also on top form, purring and roaring about violence, death and revenge among many other topics with a little bit of love blended in for good measure. Some cleverly cryptic wording can be found too, which is great news for all the lah-lah-lahophobes out there. Yes, that IS a real word...honest...
I Sat By The Ocean and My God Is The Sun sound like the two more radio-friendly tracks here - though fret not, we're hardly talking One Direction levels here - merely that the song structures and less cluttered soundscapes would make them more appropriate for broadcast. They're both excellent too. As for the guitar side of proceedings from Josh, the riffs and solos are yet another high point. I don't think I could pick any out as being below par in any way. I never feel as though he's being plagiaristic, so clearly the captain's still got creativity coursing through his veins. While the overall vibe is eerily moody, there are stand-out moments to be had outside of that murky bracket; most notably Smooth Sailing, which simply oozes arrogance with its stompingly sexual beat and swaggering and scatty guitars. It's provocative to the point of nearly feeling physically molested by the music itself...in a good way. Yeah. Every time I listen to Like Clockwork its at Smooth Sailing that I really do realise that I'm having a heck of a hell of a whale of a time and that the music I've been listening to is frankly a little bit godly.
After my realisation that I'm enjoying myself to a worryingly high degree, I'm hit with I Appear Missing - arguably the record's strongest track. Dear Lord, this song is gorgeous. The pure force of the chorus is enough to suspend your body in mid-air, and the verse perfectly encapsulates Queens Of The Stone Age's dingy desert rock vibe. Genuinely epic. All that's left to mention is The Vampyre Of Time And Memory and the closing/title track, Like Clockwork. Duh. These two songs provide the listener with the album's two slowest and introspective moments, but I really don't want to portray them as seeming dull. That said, to go back on myself once more, The Vampyre etc. is possibly the weakest track on the album - not to suggest that it's actually weak at all though. It just so happens to probably be objectively the least strong. No doubt I'll change my mind on that statement later. I'd give it about 5 minutes... Finally then, the closer. It's a rather fitting finale - an emotional piano ballad on which Homme croons multiple times that "not everything that goes around comes back around, y'know." It wraps up the rollercoaster ride beautifully and offers a lovely sense of closure. Wow.
Well well well... You may have noticed by now that I'm fairly in favour of '...Like Clockwork'. I just feel as though every combining element of Like Clockwork is absolutely ON IT. The vocals, the guitars, the bass, the songwriting, the percussion, the atmosphere, the pacing, the production, the art, the caterers behind the scenes, Josh Homme's dog, the person who first discovered the exact shade of red used on the album cover...okay, so I might have gone a little bit over the top for a second there...but my point that all facets are performed and carried out on top form still stands. It certainly bodes well for the overall feel and quality of the album. It's everything I hoped it would be but honestly (due to my inherently pessimistic nature) thought it couldn't be. Filth? Check. Headbangability? Check. Danceability...? Check. Raw passion? Check. Check? Check. Stupendously invigorating, breathtakingly colossal and peerlessly executed, this is Queens Of The Stone Age's masterpiece. (Check.)
9.5/10
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