Queens of the Stone Age
“…Like Clockwork”
Release Date: June 4, 2013)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Matador Records
Running Time: 46 minutes
Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
“…Like Clockwork” is Queens of the Stone Age’s first album since 2007’s “Era Vulgaris”. I was a huge fan of 2002’s “Songs For The Deaf” but I never felt that they really topped that album since. Well “…Like Clockwork” is a great revival for the band and they have never sounded better. Each track is epic and very kick-ass, with each one out doing the next. The drumming role has been split with Joey Castillo tackling tracks 1-3 & 6 and Dave Grohl on 4-5 & 7-9. This has been the first time that Grohl has returned since “Songs for the Deaf”, so I was super excited about that as well. “…Like Clockwork” also delivered the band their first number one debut on the Billboard 200, making it the highest U.S. chart position to date and their first album to top the charts in the United States. So these guys are on FIRE!
Besides Grohl drumming in, “…Like Clockwork” has tons of great guest appearances line-up, some of which were really surprising. Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor lends some vocals on tracks “Kalopsia” and “Fairweather Friends”. Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears pops in on the vocals for “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” and “Smooth Sailing”. Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys appeared with vocals and guitars on “If I Had a Tail”. Brody Dalle, who also appeared on “Lullabies to Paralyze” and “Era Vulgaris”, sings also on the track. Lastly keep an ear out for Elton John, who plays his piano and sings on the track “Fairweather Friends”. So in terms of guest appearances this album easily scores a 5 out of 5 stars.
The album was produced by Joshua Homme and QOTSA, recorded by Mark Rankin with additional engineering by Alain Johannes and Justin Smith, at Josh’s studio, Pink Duck, in Burbank, CA. So I think it is save to that that “…Like Clockwork”, the bands sixth album that they are back and with a vengeance with some of their best material to date. So after debut at the top spot on the charts with more than 90,000 copies sold in the first week. The band, including founder Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Dean Fertita, Michael Shuman and Jon Theodore will hit the roads of North American with a huge world tour in support of “…Like Clockwork”. So be sure to show your support and catch them live this summer! I am sure it is going to be epic just like the album!
Track Listing:
1. Keep Your Eyes Peeled
2. I Sat By The Ocean
3. The Vampyre Of Time And Memory
4. If I Had A Tail
5. My God Is The Sun
6. Kalopsia
7. Fairweather Friends
8. Smooth Sailing
9. I Appear Missing
10. …Like Clockwork