Queens of the Stone Age -Queens of the Stone Age

Tue 22nd Feb, 2011 in Music Reviews

“Rock should be heavy enough for the boys and sweet enough for the girls.”

Those are the words of Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, and this theory applies equally to their self-titled debut album as it does to the rest of the band’s work. Reissued in Australia – remastered and with three bonus tracks and just in time for their appearance at Soundwave – Queens Of The Stone Age show their genesis as one of this generation’s most popular and influential rock bands.

While this self-titled release doesn’t have the sharp growl of Songs For The Deaf or Rated R and has quite a heavy Kyuss hangover, you can already hear Homme’s clear defined vision of bass-oriented stoner rock “sweet enough” for the ladies. From the very first bars of opening track Regular John, you can hear their trademark throaty guitar tones growling out and bass lines hard enough to make your internal organs vibrate (courtesy of Homme, performing bass under the guise of “Carlo Von Sexron”).

You Would Know is a standout track from this fourteen-track package, with their grimy guitars almost adopting a metal-inspired bluesy sound and Homme’s sexy vocals are so nonchalant you can practically see the redhead sneering with Elvis-like lips. You Can’t Quit Me Baby carries on that vibe, with a certain “oh yeah, baby” cocky feel and a catchy melody line that hooks around your neck and digs in.

Spiders and Vinegaroons, one of the bonus tracks for the reissue, takes the pace of down a notch with a slowly-climaxing instrumental pearl, full of thick layers of noise pasted on top of one another. These Aren’t The Droids Youre Looking For also deserves a mention just for having a great name… oh, and it’s an awesome guitar squeal-filled discordant track too. Longtime QOTSA fans will also delight in the ever-popular set staples Mexicola and Avon in their remastered glory.

Some moments of Queens of the Stone Age do show its age as a late nineties records, but these occasions are brief and rare. This thirteen-year-old album would still blast most of its contemporaries out of the water. There’s just something about riff-based robot rock that does not date.

And while most people think of the Homme-Oliveri songwriting team when early QOTSA comes to mind, Nick Oliveri did not in fact play on the record. You will, however, hear the famously-naked musician on this grimy gem leaving a voicemail message for the band saying he’d play bass for them if you have a close listen to the very closing track.

This one’s for fans of QOTSA, kids who obsess over remastered reissues, people catching them at Soundwave and anyone who just likes damn fine stoner rock.