Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

Hi everyone. Guest reviewer Raph here.

It's hard not to have heard of Them Crooked Vultures, a new project bringing together Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, and John Paul Jones. The last time Homme and Grohl collaborated on a full-length album resulted in Queens of the Stone Age's 2002 release, Songs for the Deaf, arguably one of the best rock records of the decade.

Them Crooked Vultures' self-titled first release is just as much a musical delight as Songs for the Deaf. Simple but powerful riffs backed by solid beats are present from beginning to end, proving to be quite enjoyable, although not quite original. The album contains traces of each member's past work, but it all comes together well, managing to sound distinct from Led Zeppelin, Queens of the Stone Age, and the Foo Fighters.

John Paul Jones can still lay down a wicked bass line, and adds a lot of variety with a few well-selected additional instruments, such as the clavinet on Scumbag Blues. Grohl, of course, is phenomenal on the skins, pounding each song into your skull. Homme's irreverent vocals and grinding solos add a slightly lunatic spin. This is nothing new for Homme, of course, as any Kyuss fan will attest. The first verse of the first track, No one loves me & neither do I, proudly sets the tone for the rest of the album, ending with the gem "... she asked 'Could I use a dirty bitch?' Of course...".

Despite the 'supergroup' label, Them Crooked Vultures manage to put together an interesting, upbeat album that's a lot of fun to listen to. The odd pairing of John Paul Jones with two much younger cohorts seems to create a kind of equilibrium, and what could be an overly-pretentious three-way wank session is instead a solid offering firmly rooted in the tradition of rock & roll. Enjoyable from start to finish.

Rating: 8/10

Videos:
New Fang
Scumbag Blues