The most recent album by modern hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age (QotSA) reflects a significant amount of musical maturity. From a band that was formed from a conglomeration of stoner and grunge rockers from the 90’s it’s certainly a disparate, though very favorable, sound. This is not to say, however, that it is without a significant amount of power and bite. For a group that is often characterized for perverse music videos and heavy hitting hard rock, …Like Clockwork accentuates the progressive and dynamic sound of a band that is not content to sit idle while music evolves past them.
The first track, Keep Your Eyes Peeled, is the perfect example of heavy rock song melded with post-rock vibes and the strong vocal harmony that sets the new QotSA work in it’s own category. A unique orchestration of piano, heavily distorted guitar, and a very pronounced bassline juxtapose the intentionally high, borderline falsetto, singing voice of Josh Homme. Song two of the album, I Sat by the Ocean, relies more heavily on classic blues intervals and song arrangement. At the same time, however, an inventive use of slide guitar melody and catchy lyrics set it apart from the traditional post-classic garage rock of bands like The Black Keys. The third tune of the record, Vampyre of Time and Memory, is a compelling song that seems to lament the passage of time. A deeper track off the album it is reflective of, perhaps, the band’s feelings regarding their place in today’s music scene in contrast to their modest beginnings in the late 90’s.
Moving a few songs down the line, Kalopsia is track 6 off the album. It, too, uses a bold fusion of piano and guitar to create an atmospheric edginess that is entirely exclusive to the record. Matched with spiteful lyrics that condemn those in “the rat race” to hell, it isn’t hard to understand the power behind this, and every other song, off this album. In this same fashion Fairweather Friends, the next song in the album, sends a not so subtle message of malcontent and hostility towards the perceived subject of the title. Taking this into account with the song Dead End Friends of singer Josh Homme’s other band, Them Crooked Vultures, it would not be a stretch to assume that he has some issues maintaining friendships within the music community. The second-to-last song off the album, and my personal favorite, I Appear Missing, sports a combination of intricate melodies and crunchy guitar. Between spacey slide guitar and a powerful vocal line, it very impressively combines complex melodic figures while not sacrificing the raw hard rock sound that defines the album.
All told, …Like Clockwork is far and away, by my standards, the best alternative and hard rock album of 2013. Tearing guitar, meaningful lyrics, catchy tunes, and some of the best vocal harmony around today set this album far apart from anything that the QuotSA’s contemporaries have produced in over 3 years. The album get’s a 10/10 from me, and I suggest that given the chance anyone should listen to this album.
