Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf

[Titan]

Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf


<LI>Pre-script:
This is like their 3rd album I think. Make note that I just bought this like a week ago, so my opinions of the songs will no doubt change next week, and the week after that, and the year after that. First off, this album NEVER EVER should have received the label of “Bringing back rock.”. That is bullshit, and whatever Rolling Stone or Vibe enthusiast thought that shit up, is fucking retarded. This is not an album that brings back rock. This album mutates rock. Only a little, but still, it’s songs are not the base of rock, they use parts that make up the base of rock, but then morphovulate them. There is a bunch of funny/weird radio interlude crap on a lot of the album, it’s mostly annoying. Too bad too, because a lot of it is cool, but not when I’m just trying to listen to the fucking music. In comes iTunes, where I just chop all that other shit off. There is a full 5 minutes of this stuff strewn about the album. Anyway, we’re off. I’ll try to keep this short, I know how boring the long ones can get.


<LI>01-You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire
Alright, fuckin’ sweet rock track. Good variety of vocals - goes from emphatic to screaming. That is one of the sweetest things about this album, Josh Homme almost never sounds the same on any two trax, very well done. Great guitar work, lots of energy. This is an example of a good rock song.

<LI>02-No One Knows
The one you’ve all heard. I first thought this was kind of repetitive, but that’s because I was trying to fit it into the “Bring back rock.” quote. Once I realized it was something removed from that, I saw the ingenuity in it, really a great song. This one (unfortunately) is few of the ones that actually develops with many parts. Gotta love the last 1min 15sec at least. Download.

<LI>03-First It Giveth
Starts off kind of weird, gets more coherent. The best thing this song has going for it is the guitar work, I’m very keen on that, and the chorus. Not a high amount of energy (that’s okay) though fast (see kids, you can have slow energetic songs, and fast nonenergetic songs). Great melodies in the guitars and great harmonies in the chorus. The energy picks up a bit in the chorus. Unfortunately, the production of these trax are very muddied, and it makes it harder (for me) to rock out to them, but it’s all good.

<LI>04-Song For the Dead
Yeah, I would have liked it if it kept up the rhythm of the very first drum part played, but hey we can’t all get want we want. Cool song, yeah, fun guitars. But I swear to the gods, they use that same damn Jimi Hendrixish guitar riff break throughout the whole fucking song. It’s cool, why over use it? Whatever, fun vocals too. There are about 3 different solid breaks in this song... it kinda goes on for a while. At least for the last 1:10 the rhythm/speed changes.

<LI>05-The Sky Is Fallin’
First off, I would have called it “The Sky Is Fallen” but that’s just me. Starts off w/ weird chanting and goes into a very cool guitar riff. Very catchy melodies (a motiff throughout the album). Verse and chorus both well done. Yeah, pretty good all around song. Long and a bit repetitive, but that’s something apparent in the album, but it’s not hard at all to get over.

<LI>06-Six Shooter
I love this track. Only 1:30 and an incoherent mess of screaming and powerstroked guitars. Lots of scary angry emotion in the vocals, makes you want to sing along, and shoot someone. Sing along: ”Two glass eyes, I’ll fuckin’ tell you lies, I’m on the side of the road, you’re gonna fuckin’ die!” How fun and inspirational.

<LI>07-Hangin’ Tree
Right now my favourite track on the album. Great great great great melodies and harmonies all the way through. The guitar worx really well with the drums and the whole thing comes together as one big melodic oddity of weird rock music. And it’s actually the right length for what it consists of. Download download download. (You don’t have to do it three times).

<LI>08-Go With the Flow
I must admit, when I first heard this I really liked it but I thought it would get SUPEROLD SUPERFAST. It’s quite repetitive and catchy at the same time (a recipe for staleness). But the way it is portrayed, it’s made into a very anthemic singalong song, which I think saves it and makes it listenable for longer than it may seem possible. Good song.

<LI>09-Gonna Leave You
Great melodies and harmonies again! Fun and catchy chorus. Reminds me much of that one Alice in Chains song... don’t remember what it’s called. Good verse as well. Simple guitar stuff that works. Good experimental guitar solo stuff keeps this song interesting, like others.

<LI>10-Do It Again
Definitely the anthem track of the album. Great rhythm. Great rock song. An added “Hey!” screaming soundbite is added in the background to give it that anthemic feel. I think it’s about having sex. Cool, have you seen their logo? Yeah. Funny stuff. Like some anthems, the chorus is more singalong than rockalong, but the guitar and drum stuff makes this a very fun song.

<LI>11-God Is In the Radio
A good catchy singalong again! This one actually develops though (a bit) mostly it just keeps going. Again the band makes use of the ability to use the guitar to make very cool riffs that sound good when repeated. This one is more of a grow on you song. The sound is a bit different from many of the previous tracks which is refreshing.

<LI>12-Another Love Song
It has organ in it! This one was hard for me to get into at first, but once I started bobbing my head and singing along, I understood what it was trying to do. Not the most interesting or anything, but it's a very fun song. Basically, it’s just another love song. Chuck, I think you'd like this one a lot.

<LI>13-Song for the Deaf
YES! The perfect example of what evil rock should sound like. The verses are morbidly disturbing. And then you’ve got the reflective choruses. Very healthy scary guitars in the verses, and great soloing on top of them. Singing that fits the vibe of the song pretty well. Yeah, the guitars in this song just kick ass! Watch out for the interlude after 3:00, how neat. Evil song.

<LI>14-Mosquito Song
One of my favourites. Very developmental and very musical. Good tunes throughout. Yeah, one of the best songs on the album, complete with piano and brass. And it’s the hidden track, figures. Download this mother.


<LI>My Ranking:
1. Hangin’ Tree
2. Mosquito Song
3. No One Knows
4. You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire
5. Do It Again
6. Song For the Deaf
7. Six Shooter
8. Go With the Flow
9. First It Giveth
10. Gonna Leave You
11. Another Love Song
12. The Sky Is Fallin’
13. God Is In the Radios
14. Song for the Dead


<LI>Post-script / My Rating: 91%
Wow, that was tough, all these songs are great! Not the album to “Bring back rock.” as it was portrayed to be. If anyone is doing that it’s Audiovent or Audioslave (coincidence?). This opens a new venue to rock fans. It’s a bit of mutated rock, but extremely extremely accessible to everyone. Good lyrix throughout as well. It has it’s drawbacks, but is mostly good, and therefore gets a 91% from me. It’s definitely worth the buy if you want to experience some good music.


Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf



[This message has been edited by Titan (edited February 18, 2003).]

[Ugly Bastard]

Titan-

Thanks for the review. Ever since you sent me this CD via Instant Messenger, I can't stop listening to it. Your reviews are stellar. I would say I agree with your rankings on each song, although I might flip one and two, and give "Mosquito Song" the number one spot.

Keep em coming Titan, keep em coming.

-Ugly Bastard

[Combat Chuck]

Well, I guess you've done your job Titan, cause I'm as intrigued as fuck to check this album out now.

Which I will do, now that I have my Kazaa back.....I missed it so much.