Review: Alt/Hard Rockers Queens Of The Stone Age Return After Six Years With ‘In Times New Roman’

Last Friday the Queens of the Stone Age – Josh Homme (guitars/keyboards/vocals), Troy Van Leeuwen (guitars/keyboards), Dean Fertita (guitars/keyboards), Michael Schuman (bass) and Jon Theodore (drums) – returned after six years with their new album In Times New Roman. I’ve always been more of a Helvetica man myself, but I do love this hard rocking album.

I’ve always thought of the Queens as more of a collective of musicians built around leader Josh Homme than a traditional band. I think that’s a mistake on my part. The current line up, listed above, has been in place for over 15 years (save for drummer Jon Theodore but he’s been around for a decade) which is pretty stable. I think I felt that collective vibe about the Queens because vocalist Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees) and drummer, original Foo Dave Grohl (yes, I know he does more than drum) have done stints in the band. And in my defense there was quite a few line up changes in the early days.

I’ve made no secret I was late getting on the QOTSA bandwagon. I I was driving around in my car in 2013 when a local radio station went old school and played …Like Clockwork in it’s entirety. I loved that album. It came on the heels of a near death health situation for Homme and that music is dripping in an existential murk that I could not resist. I was also equally taken with Homme’s work on Iggy Pop’s Post Pop Depression as producer and guitarist. Naturally when Villains came out, I was a huge fan. That album was a pure rock n roll groove… it was almost dance-able… if you’re into that sort of thing. I’m a confirmed wallflower, so no thanks to the dancing. Naturally, since the Queens of the Stone Age have been around for a while, their old school fans who’d been on the bandwagon longer than I were dismayed by the new-ish musical directions Homme took the band on those latter two LPs.

After …Like Clockwork and Villains I went back and picked up 2002’s Songs For the Deaf, another great album. Usually, at that point, three LPs in and digging what I’d heard, I’d have gone “whole hog” on their back catalog and devoured the other four of their first five albums. For some reason I didn’t do that. While I absorbed this LP to prepare my comments I went back and listened to that back catalog. Let me say, their debut LP is fabulous – but I’ve always loved debut albums – as is Lullabies To Paralyze. Don’t skip Rated R either, it’s a great second album, defying the “sophomore slump” that so often hits a band.

Having gone back and listened to the early stuff, I have to say In Times New Roman feels like a return to that heavy, alternative riff rock of say, Lullabies to Paralyze. Josh Homme has been through a lot in the last six years – a very public, messy divorce; a battle with cancer; legal issues stemming from kicking a camera into a camera woman’s face), and perhaps retrenching to their older, heavier sound was a way to center himself. Gone is the aforementioned murk of …Like Clockwork or the dance-able grooves of Villains. This album just plain rocks. That’s not to say it’s monochromatic in any sense of the word. Over great squalling guitars the vocals just soar. Also I love Josh’s word play: obscene scenery becomes “Obscenery,” motion sickness turns into “Emotional Sickness,” carnivore becomes “Carnavoyuer.” You can’t say Josh doesn’t have a sense of humor. One of his nicknames was “Ginger Elvis” after all…

There is a lot to love on this album. Especially if you like rock n roll and guitar. The riffs on this album feel heavier than the previous two albums, if that’s possible? The lyrics while not specific sound focused on the end of his relationship with his wife… and it was a bad ending. Although the singing on the record conjures more resolve than anger. Every listen to this album seemed to open up something new for me. I’ll admit, while the first single, “Emotional Sickness” didn’t grab me as hard as the first single from Villains, “The Way You Used To Do,” it is a great song and a fitting first single. It’s got a riff that reminds me of the White Stripes for some reason. Over a ferocious riff, Josh sings “Baby Don’t care for me, I had to let her go, oh…” I feel that in my bones, man.

There are two tracks that I believe rank amongst QOTSA’s best music. “Time And Place” may be my favorite. That song just grabs me by the lapels. Its got a nimble riff and great groove. Who doesn’t love a lyric like “I realize you’re like a bummed cigarette, suicide in slow motion…” Having bummed a cigarette or two in the 90s, I can relate. I can listen to this song alone on repeat and I’d say it’s worth the price of admission here. The other song I’d rank amongst their “best ever” would be “Carnavoyuer.” It’s almost Bowie-esque and has the most exquisite tortured guitar. The harmonies on the chorus will also draw you in.

There’s so much great, straight-up rock on this album. “Obscenery” is the first track and a great opener… tribal drums and guitar. “Made To Parade” which seems to be a jab at those who climbed the corporate ladder is a solid rocker and a favorite… perhaps for personal reasons. “Paper Machete,” whose title I misread as “Paper Mache” for the first few listens, has a driving riff and will get you out of your chair headed for your “air-guitar.” “Negative Space” is another great tune with a slower more grinding riff. “What The Peephole Say” is a twitchy, paranoid rocker. The albums ends with the epic, 9-minute plus “Straight Jacket Fitting,” with an acoustic guitar coda that is a fitting ending.

If you’re worried about rock n roll – especially on the heavier, harder end of the rock n roll pool – have no fear. Josh Homme and the lads in QOTSA are here to rock your world, hard, on In Times New Roman. This is an album best listened to at top volume and when was the last time you heard something like that?

Cheers!