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Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf (Interscope)
Will this be the album that finally breaks the Queens
through to a wider audience? If quality actually played a role in such things,
I’d say yes. With the addition of drummer Dave (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) Grohl
and guitarist/vocalist Mark (Screaming Trees) Lanegan, this is in my opinion the
Queen’s strongest line-up. At first glance this might seem like “stunt
casting”, but anyone familiar with QOTSA guitarist/vocalist Josh (Kyuss) Homme’s
penchant for jamming with his friends shouldn’t be that surprised. Grohl seems
content to step out of the spotlight and show a different side to his drumming,
while Lanegan joins Homme and bassist/vocalist Nick (Kyuss, The Dwarves) Oliveri
in the vocal and songwriting department. If there’s any justice in the world,
“No One Knows” will be the hit single “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret” from
the last Queens album should have been. It combines riffs reminiscent of
Foreigner’s “Cold as Ice” and KISS’ “Detroit Rock City” with Homme’s distinctive
guitar and vocal stylings to create a sound one might describe as “stoner pop”.
The group follows a similar approach on such memorable songs as “The Sky is
Falling”, “God is in the Radio”, and the title track, while Oliveri attacks
material like “You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, but I Feel Like a Millionaire”
with a more intense vocal approach. Those still wishing the Queens would pick
up where Kyuss left off will find themselves disappointed once again. Those
searching for something edgy yet accessible without the prefab, corporate feel
of neo metal or mainstream “punk”, however, should eat this up. (BI)
Rick Ray – The Guitarsonist (Neurosis Records)
Rick Ray is an extremely prolific Cleveland area guitar
player, singer, and songwriter. As near as I can tell, he’s released about 20
CDs since 1999, all on his own Neurosis Records and all priced quite
reasonably. Although this is the first collection of his work that I’ve heard,
if it’s any indication I might have to check out some more. Rick's guitar
playing shows the influence of classic rock guitar heroes like Robin Trower,
Frank Marino, and Jimi Hendrix. While those who worship at the altar of
the six string will find much to like here, Rick's songwriting covers a wide
variety of styles from Beatlesesque pop ("Psycho Sam", “Mr. Cooper”) jazzy hard
rock ("The Guitarsonist", “Domestic Terrorism”) electronic ("Dance of the
Particles", “Kill Max, Kill") and space rock ("The Weasels Bite", “Guitaren't
You Surprised“ which remind me of Hawkwind’s best material of the eighties). It
should be noted that a lot of the songs deal with Rick’s Christian beliefs
and/or what some might label “conspiracy theories”. Regardless of whether you
find those elements appealing or not, Rick is an excellent musician who writes
about what he thinks is important. What more can you really ask from an artist?
(BI)
Sparta – Wiretap Scars (Dreamworks)
With ¾ of their membership including At the Drive-In on
their resumes, it’s not surprising that Sparta’s debut full length ‘Wiretap
Scars’ more or less picks up where their previous band left off. Sparta plays
a style of post-punk somewhat akin to Fugazi or Quicksand, but there’s also an
eighties alternative influence. For instance, “Air” and “Red Alibi” sound a bit
like The Cure turned up to 11. This is music that truly deserves to be labeled
alternative: innovative, progressive, and challenging. The songs are catchy
without ever going for the easy hook. The more metallic tendencies of At the
Drive-In have been reigned in, but this is still hard hitting guitar rock.
Lyrically, ‘Wiretap Scars’ tends towards the vague and symbolic, leaving exact
meanings open to interpretation. These guys are clearly not interested in
attracting the lazy listener. The songs may take a little while to burrow their
way into your skull, but once they do they linger. (BI)
Spock’s Beard – ‘Snow’ (Metal Blade/Radiant)
Despite the record label, Spock’s Beard is by no means a
metal band. They sound more like a Genesis tribute band making the transition
to original material. While after 7 years and several albums you might expect
something more original, considering their primary influence hasn’t put out a
good album in some time I’m willing to let it slide. As one would expect from a
2 disc concept album, ‘Snow’ has its share of filler. However, tracks like
“Made Alive/Overture” and “The Devil’s Got my Throat” are top notch prog rock
with memorable hooks. Of course the musicianship is excellent, but for the most
part Spock’s Beard wisely reigns in any self indulgent tendencies they might
have. I have to admit I found myself putting this in the old CD player more
than I would have expected. (BI)
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