It's freakin halfway through May already, and we've had, what, 2 warm days this month? I guess it's no sweat (ha!) that I haven't gotten the rest of my summer clothes out of storage; it's been way too disgusting outside to wear all those light & flow-y clothes.
But anyway, back to the tunes.
I'm guessing a lot of you (who are you, anyway?) are like me, in that your mood can greatly influence your current playlists.
Let's take today, for example. It's gross outside, which- no matter how hard I try to avoid it- really makes me feel gross. On my way to the radio station, one of my recent purchases rolled up on my iPhone, and it actually made me feel better about a lot of things - purchasing the album, driving a beater, driving in the rain since 6am, the fact that it'll be crappy out all day (well, ok, nothing can make me feel better about that).
Them Crooked Vultures is drummer Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, singer/guitarist Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, and Led Zeppelin bassist/effects-master John Bonham. Grohl and Homme have worked together previously, as have Grohl and Bonham. Reportedly, Grohl "set up" Bonham and Homme at his own birthday party; the rest, as they say, is musical hist'ry.
If you were to scope the band's Web site, you might get an idea of how they sound: "It sounds like the guy from Queens of the Stone Age singing and playing guitar with the bass player from Led Zeppelin and the drummer from Nirvana. Now that music is getting out there, this one is sort of unnecessary but still..." (from http://www.themcrookedvultures.com/us/biography)
And I'd have to say that's a pretty fair description.
I will say, though, that I first decided that I could clearly hear early, vintage Led Zep in a lot of these tunes. As I got through a few more tracks, I could swear I was listening to Queens of the Stone Age; I even heard a few things reminiscent of early Nirvana.
I will admit- it took me a long time to like this record. I don't feel like much of today's new music is very good (with recording and producing technology reaching incredible heights, any producer worth his salt can turn even a drunk girl talking into the Next Big Hit. I know, it's a travesty to the whole industry, but it's the truth); I keep finding myself horribly disappointed with every iTunes download, unless it's a record from the 1960s-1990s. Plus, I really only get to listen to my music in my Jeep, which doesn't exactly allow one to truly scrutinize a performance.
However, once I got past the external homogeneity of this record (and believe me, it's the first thing you'll hear), I was able to appreciate the subtleties of its tonal makeup.
Homme favors fuzz guitars throughout, though each just different enough to get your head bobbing; his vocals laced with indifference and grit, accurately reflecting the attitude of the generation.
Grohl's drums are solid, as always, and his backing vocals, though rare, add just enough oomph for appreciation.
What I can't really understand, though, is why- with John freaking Bonham as bassist- there isn't a stronger thump and thrum under all that fuzz distortion? Of course, I don't really have great audio equipment in my old Jeep, but I believe in a bassline, and I just don't hear it on this record.
If you're looking for some new rock music- that's actually real, authentic rock music- you will probably enjoy this record. It's a solid slow groove straight through, with no cheesy pop melodies or ballads to ruin the crunch and hum. It's not like anything out now- you won't hear any Nickelback or Puddle of Mudd whiney, hooky, adult-contemporary-friendly sounds (refreshing!), and there's no screaming, growling, howling "vocals" to make you cringe.
I'd give it 3.5 of 5 stars. Go get it, listen for yourself.
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