Queens Of The Stone Age - Rated R: Deluxe Edition
Rating
RIYL
KyussThem Crooked Vultures
Led Zeppelin
Release Date
08/03/2010
Label
InterscopeTracklist
Disc 1:01. Feel Good Hit Of The Summer
02. The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret
03. Leg Of Lamb
04. Auto Pilot
05. Better Living Through Chemistry
06. Monsters In The Parasol
07. Quick And To The Pointless
08. In The Fade
09. Tension Head
10. Lightning Song
11. I Think I Lost My Headache
Disc 2:
01. Ode To Clarissa
02. You're So Vague
03. Never Say Never
04. Who'll Be The Next In Line
05. Born To Hula
06. Monsters In The Parasol (Live)
07. Feel Good Hit Of The Summer (Live)
08. Regular John (Live)
09. Avon (Live)
10. Quick And To The Pointless (Live)
11. Better Living Through Chemistry (Live)
12. Ode To Clarissa (Live)
13. The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret (Live)
14. You Can't Quit Me, Baby (Live)
15. Millionaire (Live)
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On June 6, 2000 the world was introduced to Queens of the Stone Age’s undeniable masterpiece, Rated R. It’s been ten years since their sophomore album, and the band have built a legacy as one of the greatest hard rock bands to emerge within the last decade. Released through Interscope Records, Rated R was the band’s major label debut, and while all eyes may not have been focused on them, they certainly were shortly after. QOTSA offered a healthy dose of accessible rock fury, danceable groove heavy riffs, and just enough substance abusing anarchy, unleashed through the minds of both Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri, a twisted combo that blends together to perfection. Each and every fast charging raw punk chord progression that blasts through the speakers is met with equal doses of hypnotic grooves, creating one of the finest records of our generation, and an album that to this day, only gets better with each listen. Songs like “Better Living Through Chemistry” with its dazzling bongo rhythm and spiraling guitar licks, the bouncing stoner blues of “The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret,” and jaw dropping soul of the Mark Lanegan assisted “In The Fade,” are assurance enough that Queens of the Stone Age were on to something big, bringing the “desert rock” sound to a new level previously unexplored. The music contained within Rated R’s original release remains the pinnacle of the Queens of the Stone Age’s career for many, thanks to exceptional song writing that still resonates heavily amongst their best material. Celebrating a decade since Rated R’s release, Queens of the Stone Age have issued a two-disc deluxe edition of the record, loaded with great material for fans both new and old.
The first disc of the set contains the original album in all its glory, unscathed after all these years and every bit as incredible. The second disc however is chock full of rare and previously unreleased material from the era of the album’s recording. First we have the integral b-side round up, containing several tracks from the Feel Good Hit of the Summer EP and Lost Art of Keeping A Secret single, both long out of print. The immediate stand out is “Born To Hula,” a song featuring Gene Trautmann’s pummeling drums and a blisteringly warm guitar solo that speeds and slows with dizzying abandonment, dripping in Homme’s now signature style. Why this song wasn’t included on the original release is beyond me, but alas, it’s here now… so enjoy. “Ode to Clarissa” features a rollicking gutter blues vibe and Oliveri’s raspy vocals taking command without rising into his usual shouting. The hook snarls as Oliveri croons in honest punk fervor, “I’m the one your mama told you ‘bout”. “You’re So Vague” recalls Homme and Oliveri’s remarkable sense of humor, an unexpected play on Carly Simon’s massive hit, as only QOTSA are capable of. The album features a pair of covers, Romeo Void’s new wave smash, “Never Say Never” and The Kinks’ “Who’ll Be The Next in Line”. The former is a sexed up groove laden jam with intricate popping harmonics and the timeless hook, “I might like you better if we slept together,” that fits Homme’s swagger to perfection. Oliveri handles vocal duties on their Kinks tribute, delivering a light-hearted melody that sounds as though it was performed in the midst of an upbeat magic mushroom trip.
The rest of the album is comprised of Queens of the Stone Age’s explosive performance live from the Reading Festival on August 26, 2000. This soundboard quality recording was originally captured for BBC 1 and features the band unleashing exceptional renditions of tracks from Rated R, their self titled debut, and even an early peak at Songs For The Deaf. The band open with their drug fueled mantra “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” followed by “Regular John” and “Avon,” two stellar examples of the creative power QOTSA wielded following Homme’s then recent departure from the beloved Kyuss. These songs were always dark and quasi-seductive, setting the tone for the vibrant guitar acrobatics and massive bass lines content breaking into a complete stop, only to return crunchier and more hypnotic. Nick Oliveri lets his wild side ring out on the frantic “Quick and to the Pointless,” a grizzly tweaked out aggressive stomper with manic cries of, “Oh baby, baby, you’re so sweeeeet,” wrapped up by a brief southern slide guitar twang leading directly into “Better Living Through Chemistry.” Texture from shifting styles was always a highlight during Rated R, and their live show was no different. Homme instructs the crowd to “stay with me” during the song’s intro, and with one of his absolute finest riffs to date, it’s hard to imagine anyone doing anything else. Cascading rhythms demolish the audience, while massive bursts of guitars lead from the familiar into another realm and back again. The set’s true highlight comes courtesy of the monstrous ten minute plus “You Can’t Quit Me, Baby,” another stand out from the band’s debut. Oliveri’s bass rumble is sinister and infectiously grooving, while Homme’s guitar bleeds through warped effects providing a rippling layered psychedelic atmosphere, dangerously easy to get lost in. The song fully explodes into a vicious jam session blasting through various time signatures while remaining deadlocked in unison with each other.
The deluxe edition is a must-have purchase for any long time Queens of the Stone Age fan, and even perhaps a good jumping on point for anyone still curious. The physical copy is fairly stunning, made with great care and admiration, quality debauchery infested photos, a comprehensive and extensive glossy booklet, and simplistic yet spectacular design. There is little we can be certain about in regards to what the future holds for Queens of the Stone Age, but there is certainly nothing questioning their past.
--Dan Goldin
Comments
Rated R, Relationship of Command, Mer de Noms, White Pony, Kid A, I can't think of any other year after 2000 with so many defining albums, years ago I would have said Hybrid Theory and Tapoot's Gift belong there but that's my 22 year old self being naive. This one definitely belongs there.
Minnesota
I know I will be in the minority, but I never quite understood the draw of QOTSA. They never really did anything for me and their later career stuff (Songs for the Deaf onward) I actually find close to unlistenable. Must not be my thing...
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Lehigh Valley, PA
Agreed.
I agree to some point, after Rated R, musically,it went downhill for them, Songs For The Deaf was good, but never as good as Rated R, not a surprise Oliveri left after the Deaf album, like he said, now it's just "Queens light", I can't listen to Era Vulgaris at all and they'll never release anything as raw and epic as Rated R, and I'm fine with it.
London, UK
LOVED Kyuss, never really liked QOTSA that much
Currently listening to:
Tetrafusion - Horizons EP
NAMI - Fragile Alignments
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony
A Hope For Home - In Abstraction
Blindead - Affliction XXIX II MXMVI
Sunshine Coast, Australia
Qotsa would actually be a decent band name. Regardless of whether you like queens of the stone age that much, I reckon Josh Homme is one of the definitive musicians of the decade.
"If you want something done right, get a fucking Australian band to do it" - Chris Cheney
Green Brook, NJ
some great songs on this record, but i always thought it was a bit overrated.
Brooklyn, NY
For all those who have never been able to get into the band... I HIGHLY recommend listening to a live album of theirs and see if that converts you. "Over The Years and Through The Woods" is a great live starting point.
www.explodinginsound.com