Pros: The kind of rock and roll I've been needing...
Cons: Somewhat repetitive...
The Bottom Line: Not perfect, Songs for the Deaf is however the best rock music I've heard in ages. Queens of the Stone Age deserves any and all attention they are given.
lambchops's Full Review: Songs For the Deaf [PA] by Queens Of The Stone Age
The contemporary rock and roll scene has proven more than just moderately disappointing. With sound-alike bands polluting the airways, the vast majority of faceless entities have come, released one hit single and accompanying album, and returned to their deserved obscurity. Even the more popular, and apparently better bands, haven’t proven in the least bit appealing…System of a Down annoys me to no end.
So when I was instructed to pick up an album from Queens of the Stone Age, I was more than a little skeptical. My taste has matured in the past four or five years well past the point where simple noise and aggression are satiating…I want substance, lyrics, and great musicianship. When I saw the rather inexpensive Songs for the Deaf, I knew it was time to finally explore this critically lauded rock band.
Formed in 1997, Queens of the Stone Age has touted an outstanding list of contributors. Among the all-star lineup, the names Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), and Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees) both stand out. And on the band’s recent 2002 release a number of other musicians add to the mix including Dean Ween (Ween) and Twiggy Ramirez (Marilyn Manson). But these individuals aren’t the most notable on the album…their names only help to support the fact that Queens of the Stone Age is a group effort. The band in reality consists of singer/bassist Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, the Dwarves), songwriter/guitarist Josh Homme (Kyuss), DJ/guitarist/keyboardist Dave Catching, and Gene Trautmann (drums).
It took little time for Queens of the Stone Age to make a musical impact. The band’s independent eponymous 1998 debut was widely hailed although received little mainstream attention. It really was with their next LP, 2000’s R, that the band finally gained a bit wider following. Their aggressive hard rock/heavy metal tendencies were unlike much else on the radio at the time and in a way harkened back to the gloomy, drug-hazed themes common in the early 1990’s rock scene.
When 2002’s Songs for the Deaf from Interscope hit shelves, critics were quick to either hail the album and band as the return of rock and roll or totally dismiss it’s musical importance. It’s difficult to deny the infectious and exciting song as anything but a welcome relief from the failing state of rock music today. Queens of the Stone Age warms my heart, and reopens my ears to rock and roll…a genre that I’ve become to disillusioned with to appreciate within the past five or so years.
The arrangement of Songs for the Deaf is reminiscent of the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack…there are bits of dialogue from fictitious radio stations enveloping each track. These short segments act as an introduction to stylistically or thematically different tracks. However strange it may seem on first listen, the approach works well and the fourteen tracks shine nicely through. Unfortunately, Songs for the Deaf is not a perfect album. I wholly expected it to be entertaining and stimulating, but also realized that with so many contributors it wasn’t likely to have great flow. What is lacking in “flow” and consistency is fortunately made up for with sheer intensity. This is why Songs for the Deaf is a definite must-buy for rock and roll fans.
The album opens with You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, But I… and a bit for “Clone Radio” an obvious homage to the aforementioned sound-alike rock bands and their supportive mainstream radio station. This song, on the other hand, is anything but sound-alike. It’s loud, unrelenting, endlessly invigorating, and wonderfully rich introduction to this fascinating album. I couldn’t have hoped for a more welcoming beginning.
Homme and Lanegan co-wrote the second track, No One Knows. I’m a fan of Lanegan’s skills, so of course this song ends up being one of my favorites from an overall very good album. Less thickly produced and featuring less noise in general, No One Knows boasts a great melody, Oliveri’s theatrical vocals, and an insistent drum line are all important throughout the track. It’s not the most representative QOTSA song on the album despite the fact that I’d rank it among the most notable.
The album continues masterfully with a Mexican radio station followed by First It Giveth. With obvious punk/heavy metal tendencies the track is uneasy and loud yet supported by Oliveri’s rather pretty (yes, I did just say that) vocals. The contrast between the instruments and the vocals is severe. But this severity is what I believe makes the album a success and will thusly appeal to a large rock audience.
Another Homme/Langegan collaboration, Song for the Dead is one of my personal favorites. Reminding me a bit of Alice in Chains at their musical peak, the song is deep and grinding and absolutely worth a listen. The lyrics stay on track with the theme of the entire album…drugs. Eh. Whatever…it’s great music however you slice it:
Many of the songs, however great, tend to blend into one another. If listened to separately, it’s easy to see their importance but in the context of the album tracks like The Sky Is Fallin’, Six Shooter, and Hangin’ Tree seem to similar and lack individualism. Not that I don’t appreciate the heavy-yet-melodic guitars of The Sky Is Fallin’ et al, it’s just that I’d have appreciated a bit more musical exploration.
The album picks back up with Go With the Flow. The keyboard that’s included with the traditional guitar, bass, and drums is refreshing and puts a new spin the punk/heavy metal infused track. Queens of the Stone Age makes the art of making rock and roll still seem alive and real and not dictated by record executives looking to make a buck. But if companies were to make money of music like this, I’d be a very happy girl.
Aside from songs sounding at times indistinguishable from one another, few problems exist. Nothing is hard on the ears nor does the production or arrangement sound forced or self-important. It seems as though Homme and Oliveri have just gotten together with the goal of making great music in mind. They have definitely succeeded on that level. The final track of any specific note is Song for the Deaf. Penned by Homme, Oliveri, and Lanegan the track seems to be most representative of the purpose of QOTSA. Beginning with an introduction reminiscent of Tool, and then breaking into a balls-to-the-wall rock escapade. I can’t help but love, covet, and repeatedly play this song (and all the others). The lyrics are also representative of the theme….brilliantly sung and written:
And I got what was
I want to take what's left
No talk will cure
What's lost, or save what's left
For the deaf
Is it obvious? I enjoy Songs for the Deaf. It’s the kind of album that I’ve been longing for since 1996 or 1997. It’s the kind of album that should turn the head of any real rock fan and hopefully flush mainstream rock radio of the likes of Creed. Queens of the Stone Age is a watershed act. Songs for the Deaf is but one of the band’s three increasingly worthwhile albums and should be an immediate purchase by any rock connoisseur despite it’s flaws.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar But I…
02. No One Knows
03. First It Giveth
04. Song for the Dead
05. The Sky Is Fallin’
06. Six Shooter
07. Hangin’ Tree
08. Go With the Flow
09. Gonna Leave You
10. Do It Again
11. God Is in the Radio
12. Another Love Song
13. Song for the Deaf
14. Mosquito Song
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