Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork

Queens of the Stone Age were once one of the most exciting bands in modern rock music.  A couple of dodgy albums however has led to many feeling cold towards Josh Homme and his gang of merry men, so latest release …Like Clockwork is beginning to feel like a last chance for these suave Americans to stop their decline from rock and rolls consciousness.

Opening with the very bass heavy “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” is unlikely to change many minds, as it meanders slowly along never really getting going and certainly not grabbing you by the balls like you want it to.  “I Sat By the Ocean” see’s a change of pace as it becomes more a guitar based rocker but it still struggles to pull the album out of the boring mould it’s set for itself.  QOTSA sound like they are on auto pilot and are just lying back and going through the motions.  It’s a theme that is worryingly recurring throughout an album that appears to have lost nearly everything that made this band exciting in the first place, with even the return of Dave Grohl on several tracks not doing enough to make this album feel essential.

That isn’t to say this is an album we should be burning as a sacrifice to the gods of rock.  There are still some moments that will have you listening.  “The Vampyre of Time and Memory” gives preference to Josh Homme and a piano and he’s never sounded quite as fragile and sympathetic as he does on this slow bluesy number.  While “Kaloopsia” is an epic sounding track that veers between rock and roll excess and slow contemplation.  It’s no surprise to discover that Trent Reznor lent his considerable talents to the track as it screams Nine Inch Nails.

For every moment of excitement though you have two moments of Josh Homme meandering into his own pretentiousness like on “I Appear Missing” which goes along for around six minutes never really getting anywhere.  There is no denying the talent of the musicians on this album but they seem to have forgotten that all their great playing and jamming doesn’t really count for anything if they can’t put together a song.

If you are a huge QOTSA fan then you may well enjoy this album.  The rest of the world will however just yawn and move on, better luck next time guys.