Queens of the Stone Age – Villains
(Matador Records)
Reviewed by Bridget Herlihy.
The Queens have landed, and oh what an epic landing it is. The seventh studio album from Palm Spring’s finest purveyors of pure, unadulterated rockabilly is an album of mammoth proportions; one that takes the listener on a journey through the frankly nothing short of superb. The hype surrounding Villains started months ahead of it’s release, building anticipation from simmering to boiling point as various images and artwork were released slowly but steadily, tantalizing us with snippets to piece together the album’s concept, trying to keep in mind that patience is indeed a virtue, and that Villains would be with us in no time. And here it is.
With uber-producer Mark Ronson (who has produced seminal work from the likes of Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and even Duran Duran’s last two albums), Villains could be considered the most polished release from the band since their inception some two decades ago. This slightly different direction may in part be attributable to the terrorist attacks that took place during an Eagles of Death Metal gig at The Bataclan in Paris on 13 November 2015. Although Homme was not present at the time of the attack, he supported his band mates through the aftermath. In a later interview with Rolling Stone, Homme stated that the experience “It affected the way I did everything,” he told Rolling Stone. “It reinforced that you shouldn’t wait to do something or you’ll fucking regret it. Move now.” And it appears that he did just that and produced a superb album that integrates an array of different influences, yet the finished product is cohesive.
While some old-school Queens fans might be more accustomed to, and prefer, the more lo-fi, dirtier sound of the Queens from the Rated R and Songs For The Deaf era which front man and Queens mastermind Josh Homme commented was intended to “sound like lightning in a bottle”, this album is natural progression from 2013’s …Like Clockwork; a slightly cleaner sound while still maintaining that trademark Queens swagger and we have come to know and love, spearheaded by Homme, maestro of the strings Troy Van Leeuwen and the throbbing bass lines of Mikey Shuman.
Homme and co appear to have taken a devil-may-care-approach to Villains, letting their proverbial creative juices run wild, with Homme commenting that “I fully realize that may be a little more than some are open to, and that’s perfectly fine with me. There’s the door. If some of the more close-minded are gently pruned, that just leaves more room on the dance floor for the open-minded ones to get loose. That’s been the spirit of Queens Of The Stone Age and the space we’ve worked to create from day one.”
Opening track Feet Don’t Fail Me Now sets the tone with a moody dirge before erupting into a foot stomping track that would tempt the most reluctant out onto the dance floor. Complete with semi-retro synchs and vocals and guitar solos, the track makes full use of surround sound (tip: listen through a pair of good quality headphones for maximum effect).
The first single from the album Like The Way You Used To Do pulsates with an unrelentless driving rhythm that keeps the feet moving and the hips swinging, as exemplified by Homme in the newly released video clip that accompanies the track. One of the more mellow tracks, Fortress, shows hints of both vulnerability and optimism, which gives way to the harder and faster Head Like A Haunted House. The Zepplin-esque second single The Evil Has Landed is six and a half minute epic that is as tight as tight can be; a rock track with a great groove and catchy riffs while playing with slightly different timings. Despite being described by one apparently delusional Rolling Stone reviewer as being “diabolical”, the track is a damn fine piece of song writing while solidifying their diversity.
Villains is a revolution for the Queens, with each album the band continue to push their boundaries, unafraid to explore new musical territories, and they do not fail to deliver. Villains is an album that masterfully juxtaposes hard rock with more melodic tracks without compromising its momentum or their creative vision. This is the sound of a band well and truly on top of their game.
