• achtergronden
• DE 7EVEN
• video's
• agenda

ernaast

Queens of the Stone Age | Songs For The Deaf

Best consumed while driving on quiet freeways, in the dark.
CD, Interscope

Tekst: Rob van Leeuwen

Publicatiedatum: 12 september 2002

Queens of the Stone Age are back with a new album. Their previous one, rated R, was hailed as the next Nevermind by the English press. Some things have changed since then, and some haven't. Again, the Queens' new album, Songs For The Deaf, is hailed as a masterpiece by the English press. It was even called "the new standard in rock." The most surprising thing that has changed is their drummer. Dave Grohl, former drummer for Nirvana, took the drumsticks on this record. Some coincidence isn't it?

The expectations were high, and they are completely fulfilled here. It's easy to imagine the ride from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree — the desert area where the album was recorded — having an impact on the recording of this heavy, loud, swinging, tight, simple, cool, fat, hypnotizing, but especially very addictive record. The songs are connected with each other by radio intermezzos (as if you are listening to a radio show), which is amusing when listening to the album for the first time, but after that, you wish they could be erased from the album.

A diverse album it is, owing a lot to Black Sabbath, and evidenced in the screaming of Nick Oliveri, with additional lead vocals by guitarist Josh Homme and part-time member Mark Lanegan. The album opener (You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire) features lead vocals by bass player Nick Oliveri. You hear a car starting and the door closing; the radio is switched on, and suddenly, after a drum intro, the song kicks in. With one riff nearly constantly repeated and Oliveri screaming over it, it is a hypnotizing song. This first song sets the scene, and almost every song is built on a simple but very effective riff, repeating and repeating itself. Driven by drummachine Grohl, who does some fantastic drumming here, the songs burn themselves into your head, until you don't want anything else. Other highlights include Go With The Flow, which rumbles on like a train and has a great chorus, and First It Giveth. Also, the lead vocals of Mark Lanegan are highlights, demonstrated on the title track where Lanegan's dreamy voice perfectly fits the song. Minor point on the record is the song Six Shooter: Oliveri's screaming is a bit too irritating. My version of the album also comes with two "hidden" tracks, a nice acoustic ballad, with strings and horns (somewhat unexpected from the Queens), called Mosquito Song, and a cover of the Kinks' Everybody's Gonna Be Happy, which is okay, but doesn't really bring any extra value to the record.

Will this album be the new standard in rock? Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But if you want to know what a cool rock record must sound like in the year 2002, then this is your place to start. Best consumed while driving on quiet freeways, in the dark.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/queens-of-the-stone-age/songs-for-the-deaf/1850/
Meer Queens of the Stone Age op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/queens-of-the-stone-age