Review - Era Vulgaris

Artist: Queens of the Stone Age
Album: Era Vulgaris
Record Label: Interscope, Rekords Rekords
Producer(s): The Fififf Teeners (Josh Homme and Chris Gosse)
Release Date: June 12, 2007
Genre: Hard Rock
Strong Points: A variety of sounds and styles that feature excellent songwriting; strong production values; different from anything but a Queens album
Weak Points: Occasionally wears its influences on its sleeve
Technical Score: A
Artistic Score: B+
Final Score (not an average): A
Moral Warnings: Casual mention of taboo sexuality (including masochism and masturbation), mention of homosexuality in a satirical fashion, inferred violence on at least two songs (Sick, Sick, Sick and Suture Up Your Future), the Lord’s Name used in vain in one song (Misfit Love), “s—t” and “a—“ used in a mocking, sarcastic tone (in 3’s & 7’s).

Queens of the Stone Age, formed from the ashes of stoner-rock band Kyuss in the Palm Desert, CA-music scene, has been making quite the splash in the field of guitar rock since their inception some ten years ago. With the album Rated R, the band exploded onto the music scene with a hard hitting one-two punch of melody-driven rock songs and comedy-fueled metal. At this point, Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri were the group’s two frontmen, and they continued the formula in 2001’s phenomenal Songs for the Deaf, featuring ex-Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighter Dave Grohl on drums.

In 2004, however, Oliveri left the band, taking with him the hard, biting metal and humor of the past couple of albums. Homme was left to make the band as he saw fit: what came from that was Lullabies to Paralyze, and in good time, Era Vulgaris.

Paralyze was very much a concept oriented album, and in some ways, Era Vulgaris is too. Where Paralyze found much of its inspiration in the dark, looming nature of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Vulgaris finds its source material in the style of 1970s grindhouse and slasher films. It holds a gritty feel and attempts to be creepy and shocking at every turn, while, at the same time, being intensely satirical of the society from which it comes. This is not entirely unsuccessful, but Vulgaris doesn’t excel there. Where Vulgaris succeeds is in the strength of the songwriting, the musicianship of those involved (including guest spots by Queens regular Mark Lanegan, formerly of semi-obscure grunge rock band Screaming Trees, and Julian Casablancas, of The Strokes, as well as a bonus track with enigmatic Nine Inch Nails-frontman Trent Reznor, and backing vocals from Australian punk rocker Brody Dalle-Homme, of the now-defunct The Distillers) and the production values. In addition, the adept playing of the band allows for a switching of styles not heard in many other bands or albums. Songs go from bass-heavy rock, to industrial rock, to blues rock, hopping from styles from track to track. It’s done so well that, sonically, the album is near perfect.

Vulgaris kicks off with “Turning on the Screw,” an eerie sounding rocker that immediately quotes The Silence of the Lambs: “You got a question?/Please don’t ask/It puts the lotion in the basket”; appropriate for an album themed as this. Next up is “Sick, Sick, Sick,” a hard, nasty song that goes from suggestions of masochism to implications of monster movie madness. It’s a B-movie song, catchy and true to its name.

“I’m Designer” quickly comes to the forefront as one of the album’s highlights. Despite its content being somewhat questionable, the song comes off as a satire with both brains and bite. “Misfit Love” kicks off sounding like a Nine Inch Nails-style rocker with liberal use of the guitar. This is a very good thing, and a relatively new direction for a Queens song, though Homme’s cocky sneer of “If you bet on me/You’ve won” at the end of the song heads into familiar territory for the band.

Both “Into the Hollow” and “Batttery Acid,” though well written songs in their own right, sound a bit too much like typical Queens—slow, seeping-under-the-door, bass drenched guitar rock--seemingly detracting from the rest of the album. This isn’t a bad thing at all, but after the exploration heard on “Misfit Love,” it is a bit of a disappointment. After “Battery Acid,” however, there’s a bit of a shock: the blues-tinged song “Make It Wit Chu.”

Starting off with a pulsating drum and bass line, and continuing with a driving, flowing guitar lead, there’s no doubt that “Make It Wit Chu” is one of the better compositions from the Palm Desert rockers. Lead singer Homme is in fine form here, singing, “If I told you that I knew about the sun and the moon, I’d be untrue/ The only thing I know for sure/ Is what I won’t do” in a sultry, smoky voice that is both entirely fitting for the song and entirely out of character from the man who gave us “No One Knows.” It further cements the versatility of both Homme and the Queens of the Stone Age.

Immediately following “Make It Wit Chu” is a song that contains one of the most memorable guitar riffs in years. “3’s & 7’s” is easily the catchiest song on the album. This song appeared in video games Rock Band (alongside “Sick, Sick, Sick”) and Guitar Hero 3 for a reason. The riff is killer, and the time signature change mid-song adds a certain plodding something to an otherwise fast paced song.

The main problem, as I see it, with Era Vulgaris is not the occasional similar sound that you might hear. Simply put, the main problem is lyrical content. Each song might be a perversely funny satire of American culture, but for those that offend easily, QotSA’s latest outing is one that might be hard to swallow.

Album Highlights:
"I'm Designer"
"Misfit Love"
"Make It Wit Chu"
"Suture Up Your Future"

--Drew Regensburger (drew@revolve21.com)