Them Crooked Vultures: Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures: Them Crooked Vultures
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By Alistair Potter. |  |
Tuesday, 17, Nov 2009 03:58
Sony Music, out November 16th.
What's it all about?
Anyone that has heard a Queens of the Stone Age album, or any of Josh Homme's Desert Session recordings, will know exactly what to expect from Them Crooked Vultures. Homme has always been the master of trippy, sprawling riffs that verge on the self-indulgent. Adding a member of Led Zeppelin to the mix was only ever going to multiply that by ten.
Who's it by?
For the benefit of those that have been living on Mars for the last six months, Them Crooked Vultures are made up of stars from three of the biggest bands of the last four decades. Queens of the Stone Age mainman Josh Homme takes guitar and vocal duties, while bassist John Paul Jones reminds everyone there's more to Led Zep than just Plant and Page and jack of all trades Dave Grohl backs it all up on drums.
As an example...
"We're unwanted strangers, exploited and dangerous, unable to hide, or even dream of it." - Elephant
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Industry bigwigs were probably carving the band's name on the awards before Homme and co had even ventured into the recording studio. On name alone it would be no surprise if the Vultures cleaned up, whether they deserve it on merit is an entirely different matter.
What the others say
"For all the echoes of the past, it never once threatens to move the earth in the way Led Zeppelin or Nirvana did." - Alexis Petridis, Guardian
"The arrangements are laced with twists in tempo and mood. Nasty riffs and sticky melodies are everywhere, buttered over by the androgynous harmonies that have made Homme a hard-rock anti-hero." - Chicago Tribune
So is it any good?
Ah, the dreaded supergroup. These superstar-filled exercises in ego massaging have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, with the likes of Chickenfoot, Audioslave and Velvet Revolver exploiting the format with varying degrees of success.
Invariably with a supergroup, you'll either get a sublime lesson in songwriting, perfectly crafted thanks to the nous and experience of the individuals that have joined forces, or you'll get a tired old pile of toss that would have been better left in the rehearsal room.
Them Crooked Vultures deliver a little from column A and B.
Throughout the album you can't quite shake the feeling that this is a Queens of the Stone Age B-sides collection. Don't get me wrong, that is still better than most bands' finest work, but it's a little disappointing nevertheless.
In fact, some tracks could do with a little more of a Queens of the Stone Age vibe. Bandoliers for one is begging for Mark Lanegan's whisky-soaked drawl to lift it out of mediocrity.
The swaggering riff and ballsy outro of No One Loves Me and Neither Do I and Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up, with its strung-out boogie groove, allude to just what this trio are capable of, but then they go and ruin it with filler like Reptiles and Elephants.
Those pesky Vultures go and save the best for last, with the part disco, part Bowie, part Zeppelin hip-shaking tempo of Gunman being a real diamond among an album predominately filled with cubic zirconias.
On the whole, this is an album in which the abilities of the individuals on show are greater than the entity as a whole. Musically, Homme, Jones and Grohl are all on top form, particularly the latter who sounds as fearsome as ever behind the kit. But, for some reason it doesn't quite click as a unit on several tracks. It's as if the three of them went for a jam, left the recorder rolling and just put out whatever they came up with.
Had this been released by an unknown trio it would receive little fanfare. As it is, prepare yourself for all kinds of hyperbole proclaiming Them Crooked Vultures to be the new superstars of rock.
In fairness, there are two or three stunners on the album and I'm sure they'll be one hell of a live act, but for the most part Them Crooked Vultures just make me pine for a new Queens of the Stone Age album.
6/10
Richard Chamberlain