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Message
Queens of the Stone Age: Villains Album Review (drops today, Aug. 25)
Posted on 8/25/17 at 8:39 am
Posted on 8/25/17 at 8:39 am
I'm a longtime QOTSA fan. They're my favorite band. So, here's my short review:
I found the album, on first listen, to be good but not great. There were a handful of songs on it that I really liked, the two singles released already ("The Way you Used to Do," and "The Evil has Landed"), and "Feet Don't Fail Me." "Domesticated Animals" is good... lyrics are kind of meh. "Head Like a Haunted House" is peppy but a little repetitive.
I found some of the songs to be disappointingly drone-y. I tend to like QOTSA's more up-tempo songs, with more mania than less. Some people like the slow melody QOTSA songs. There's a good bit of that here for those who want it. "Fortress" for example. Yawn.
Listening to it in order, it sort of feels like you're sailing in an ocean, and you stop at a couple of party islands every once in a while. The islands are cool, but the ocean is pretty ordinary.
The songs on QOTSA albums are hit-and-miss, but let's face it, few albums by anyone, period, score on every single song. So I'm not really going to knock them for that. I'm also not going to knock them on changing sound over 20 years. I like the early albums as much as the later ones.
Some people like to say that QOTSA has lost what it had in those early albums. That's not wrong. That's right. But what we have in QOTSA now is a rock band that is still using rock to be creative, and there aren't a lot of bands out there doing that right now. I would urge you, before knocking QOTSA on their changing sound, to consider how music itself has changed in that time. You will see, relatively speaking, QOTSA is still rocking pretty hard. Sure, there are niche bands that rock harder, but I'm talking about more popular trends in overall music. That QOTSA is talented enough to flirt with crossover success says a lot about them.
QOTSA suffers because I think they try to please everyone with their albums. Male and female, rockers and balladeers. If their audience was narrower, along with their point of view, you would see a monster album that would please fewer people, but prove more satisfactory to them. An album like that, in either direction, could be an A+, but when you try to please everyone, you wind up with...
a B+.
I found the album, on first listen, to be good but not great. There were a handful of songs on it that I really liked, the two singles released already ("The Way you Used to Do," and "The Evil has Landed"), and "Feet Don't Fail Me." "Domesticated Animals" is good... lyrics are kind of meh. "Head Like a Haunted House" is peppy but a little repetitive.
I found some of the songs to be disappointingly drone-y. I tend to like QOTSA's more up-tempo songs, with more mania than less. Some people like the slow melody QOTSA songs. There's a good bit of that here for those who want it. "Fortress" for example. Yawn.
Listening to it in order, it sort of feels like you're sailing in an ocean, and you stop at a couple of party islands every once in a while. The islands are cool, but the ocean is pretty ordinary.
The songs on QOTSA albums are hit-and-miss, but let's face it, few albums by anyone, period, score on every single song. So I'm not really going to knock them for that. I'm also not going to knock them on changing sound over 20 years. I like the early albums as much as the later ones.
Some people like to say that QOTSA has lost what it had in those early albums. That's not wrong. That's right. But what we have in QOTSA now is a rock band that is still using rock to be creative, and there aren't a lot of bands out there doing that right now. I would urge you, before knocking QOTSA on their changing sound, to consider how music itself has changed in that time. You will see, relatively speaking, QOTSA is still rocking pretty hard. Sure, there are niche bands that rock harder, but I'm talking about more popular trends in overall music. That QOTSA is talented enough to flirt with crossover success says a lot about them.
QOTSA suffers because I think they try to please everyone with their albums. Male and female, rockers and balladeers. If their audience was narrower, along with their point of view, you would see a monster album that would please fewer people, but prove more satisfactory to them. An album like that, in either direction, could be an A+, but when you try to please everyone, you wind up with...
a B+.
This post was edited on 8/25/17 at 1:57 pm
3
Posted on 8/25/17 at 9:41 am to SpqrTiger
On my second listen. I like it, but agree not their best.
Posted on 8/25/17 at 10:30 am to SpqrTiger
quote:
'm a longtime QOTSA fan. They're my favorite band
quote:
Most QOTSA albums are hit-and-miss,
Most albums from your favorite band are hit or miss? That sucks if they are your favorite.
quote:
QOTSA suffers because I think they try to please everyone with their albums.
Really? Who were they trying to please with Like Clockwork? You are off on this.
Posted on 8/25/17 at 12:26 pm to SUB
quote:
Most albums from your favorite band are hit or miss? That sucks if they are your favorite.
You don't have to like every single song by a band in order for them to be your favorite band. QOTSA's creativity alone is enough for them to claim that title for me. But if you want examples... let's take one of their more criticized albums. The underrated "Era Vulgaris." Would you say every song hit on that one? Would you say every song missed? Is it somewhere in between? Yep... that's where it is. Should I dump them as my favorite band because I liked "Sick, Sick, Sick...," "Misfit Love," and "Battery Acid," but didn't care for "River in the Road," or "Running Joke?"
quote:
Really? Who were they trying to please with Like Clockwork? You are off on this.
No. I'm not wrong. Don't take my word for it. Take Josh Homme's own quote, and tell me again if I'm off-base:
“Rock should be heavy enough for the boys and sweet enough for the girls.”
How does that not define what they've been doing over these last two albums, which includes "Like Clockwork?" Go through the track list and see which songs feel "masculine" and which feel "feminine." You will find that it's a pretty even mix. QOTSA intentionally tries to walk that balance.
Go too far masculine, and you get the first QOTSA album, "Rated R," and "Songs for the Deaf." There's nothing wrong with that. But a significant portion of the fan base has been dissatisfied with the last two albums, and is begging for that old sound to return. I'm not one of them. But it shows you that when you appeal harder to a more specific sound, the fans of that sound are more ardent about keeping that sound.
You are right about one thing. I don't really think QOTSA had the intention of pleasing anyone other than themselves with "Like Clockwork." But the end result is the end result. The work bears my point out. It's an album right down the middle of hard and soft.
As for "Villains"... it's not a bad album. I think it's good. But it's all over the map. Considering the choice of producer (Homme could have chosen ANY producer for a QOTSA album), it's pretty clear that QOTSA made the choice yet again to walk the fine line between masculine and feminine, pop and rock.
Once again, I'm fine with this. They will likely always be my favorite band. I'm just defending my assertion.
Posted on 8/25/17 at 1:05 pm to SpqrTiger
quote:
You don't have to like every single song by a band in order for them to be your favorite band.
Not what i said. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but you said they their albums are hit or miss.
quote:
You are right about one thing. I don't really think QOTSA had the intention of pleasing anyone other than themselves with "Like Clockwork."
Ok...then which is it? They write music for themselves or try to cater to everyone. I've never got the impression that Homme tries to write music to cater to a specific audience. It's actually been the opposite. You posted a quote with no link or context, and that could be his opinion of what rock music is, not his writing proces.
Posted on 8/25/17 at 1:54 pm to SUB
quote:
but you said they their albums are hit or miss.
I meant the songs on the albums were hit or miss. The albums are all fine, as far as I'm concerned.
quote:
Ok...then which is it?
Artists frequently do not intend for their work to go one way, but the end result speaks differently. Many writers, for example, don't intend to inject symbolism in their stories, but the symbolism is there, regardless of intent. The end result is a symbolic work, and the author is a writer who employs symbolism, like it or not.
As for the quote, it references Homme's philosophy regarding rock music, which is the genre that QOTSA is in. I doubt that he would have a philosophy about rock and roll that he would not employ himself in his own music.
Here's a link: LINK
Here's a citation:
McGregor, Nick. “Heavy for the Boys, Sweet for the Girls.” Folio Weekly. Accessed August 25, 2017. LINK
Posted on 8/25/17 at 10:56 pm to SpqrTiger
Still, I disagree. He's never given the impression he writes QOTSA for a specific audience. Here's an example. So I don't think there is some flaw in their songwriting process.
LINK
LINK
quote:
For me, when writing, you are just kind of feeling around in the dark and you just follow what feels right. I don’t try and control it too much because from past experience there is no reason to fight with the music. Just sort of follow it and be a part of it, and be around it and enjoy that relationship. People have asked me “What do you think about carrying the flag for rock?” and I’m like “I don’t think about carrying the flag for anything”. I just play music and sometimes it sounds like this, and then this time it sounds like that. I think the flag to carry is to try and make your music sound as real as possible, because I want to attract people that want their music that way. I try not to over-think it.
Posted on 8/26/17 at 8:04 am to SUB
Alright. We just see it two different ways. More important, more productive questions for you:
Have you heard the new album?
What do you think of it? Share your thoughts.
Have you heard the new album?
What do you think of it? Share your thoughts.
Posted on 8/26/17 at 2:19 pm to SpqrTiger
QOSTA is my favorite band.
The album only being 9 songs is bullshite. Will probably buy anyway but pretty disappointed
The album only being 9 songs is bullshite. Will probably buy anyway but pretty disappointed
Posted on 8/27/17 at 12:04 pm to SpqrTiger
I've listened to the new album and am not sure what I think yet. There are several great tracks for sure. But initially, I was more excited after listening to Like Clockwork the first time.
I need to give this one some time to form an opinion. It may be my least favorite release so far, maybe better than Lullabies. But that could change.
I need to give this one some time to form an opinion. It may be my least favorite release so far, maybe better than Lullabies. But that could change.
Posted on 8/27/17 at 6:46 pm to SUB
One of my all time faves. Catching them at riot fest in Chicago in a few weeks. Haven't given the album a full listen but really enjoyed "the evil has landed"
Posted on 8/30/17 at 8:32 am to The Spleen
After a few more listens, this album has really grown on me. I like it a lot, and probably going to go buy the vinyl this weekend.
Posted on 8/30/17 at 5:45 pm to SUB
quote:ah yea, this. maybe it was the switch to standard tuning, but clockwork just sounded a lot different than what they had been doing, in a good way, and was a bit more exciting. clockwork grabbed me immediately, but this one is taking some time. i like it, but i'm biased. these guys can't really do anything wrong IMO.
But initially, I was more excited after listening to Like Clockwork the first time.
This post was edited on 8/30/17 at 5:47 pm
Posted on 8/31/17 at 11:44 am to SpqrTiger
I give it a 3.5/5 for the time being; but that could bump up to a 4. I dig the first three tracks, Un-reborn and Evil has landed
Posted on 9/1/17 at 10:53 am to SCLSUMuddogs
Un-reborn again is my favorite track. The Georgia Satellites reference cracked me up. Obviously it's a short album, but just feels like there is not a lot of substance to it. I'll focus on something else for a second and the album is already over.
I doubt I'll keep it in the rotation as long as other albums.
I doubt I'll keep it in the rotation as long as other albums.
This post was edited on 9/1/17 at 10:57 am
Posted on 9/1/17 at 2:41 pm to CornDogCologne
This ones a grower. Liking it more and more with each listen.
IMO they should make Feet Don't Fail me the next single, maybe a radio edit to skip most of the intro.
IMO they should make Feet Don't Fail me the next single, maybe a radio edit to skip most of the intro.
Posted on 9/2/17 at 12:46 am to SUB
Just coming here to say I haven't been able to get "The Way You Used to Do" out of my head since first listen. Catchy tune.
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