Songs For The Deaf
Queens Of The Stone Age
As American desert rockers Queens Of The Stone Age are currently in the middle of a UK jaunt, I thought it would be fitting to look back at arguably their most successful album. 'Songs For The Deaf' was released in 2002 and reached a peak of number 4 in the UK album chart. It was success they had not reached previously in their history since formation in 1996, and has only been surpassed by this year's excellent '...Like Clockwork'. Driven by lead singer, songwriter, Ginger Elvis and master of darkness Joshua Homme, 'Songs For The Deaf' is full of menacing hooks, dark themes and Homme's masterful vocals. I was lucky enough to catch them on their tour last night in Manchester. Homme is a powerhouse on stage and his voice is flawless live. He is a huge man and fills the stage. The songs from 'Songs For The Deaf' filled the cavernous Manchester Arena and sounded bigger than ever.
As with their previous albums, 'Songs For The Deaf' was recorded deep in the California desert. This desert and Queens Of The Stone Age are tightly linked. It's their spiritual home. They are tight as a band too, even though their membership has never been constant. Homme is the only founding member left and is not afraid to defend his precious band. He has fired numerous members in the past including bassist Nick Oliveri post 'Songs For The Deaf'. In fact of the 5 current members, only Homme and guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen wrote and performed the album. The particular incarnation of Queens Of The Stone Age that was part of the development of 'Songs For The Deaf' included the multi talented Dave Grohl, a close friend of Homme. I think his drumming and music-craft are very noticeable on the album and add an extra layer of enthusiasm.
The album starts with the relentless screaming and huge riffs of the excellently titled 'You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire'. This is preceded by the ironic radio excerpts from 'Clone Radio', which feature throughout. These were Homme's idea as it he believed it gave the album fluidity. But really I think they are just a dig at the commercial stations in the US that repeatedly play generic pop music.
Next up is the storming juggernaut 'No One Knows'. An epic dark pop song with one of the best hooks in rock and a huge song live. Their trademark tune. The start of the album rises to a crescendo with the overdrive, falsetto filled 'First It Giveth'. Just as you think they can't get any harder or darker, 'Song For The Dead' bursts into life with Grohl's ferocious drumming and that familiar dark guitar. This gives way to a haunting choir of vocals and a disjointed melody. And who can forget 'Go With The Flow', with it's staccato piano driven melody and whining guitar, it's great live.
Although the middle of the album lacks the intensity of the opening tracks, they bring a dark chilled vibe to 'Songs For The Deaf'. Something that more recent albums have also had. It really is an excellent listen and even though you may get hung up on the tracks that dominate such as 'No One Knows', don't discount the rest of the album. Post 'Songs For The Deaf', Queens Of The Stone Age have developed into a real rock heavyweight and have continued to add to their excellent repertoire of songs. But they have still clung onto their dark side, best seen with the gruesome and gritty animations which accompanied '...Like Clockwork'. At the end of the day though, it all comes down to Joshua Homme. He is the driving force behind the band and their leader on stage.
Key Tracks: You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar But I Feel Like A Millionaire, No One Knows, First It Giveth, Song For The Dead, Go With The Flow.
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