Search - Queens of the Stone Age :: Songs for the Deaf

They get it! And so do I! And what's with the exclamation

Christopher Wanko | Nutley, NJ USA | 12/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...points?!Man oh man. I'm driving down Route 21, ripping along, and Queens of the StAge are playing. "Song for the Dead" comes on and there's this wicked riff, truly the musical embodiment of an evil grin, at about a minute-ten left. Chunky, salty, grinding, and I'm really into the pounding sound. Crash fade.Three seconds later, THEY PLAY IT AGAIN. The best riff on the song, and they do it again, rip it up, and let you have it.Oh man, that's a band that delivers the goods. See, I'm a sucker for good formulas well executed. The interstitials of a guy pretending to tune in "Queens" songs and DJ talk-ups, I dig. I'm a huge Slayer fan, but "Six Shooter" is the best death metal song of 2002. I get it, I really do.Haven't enjoyed something this thoroughly, through all the tracks of an album, since Kilgore released "Search for Reason". Sure, there's fourteen distinct tracks on here, and not every one is a balls-out rocker, but each song deserves headphones and some uninterrupted attention... unless you're driving down Route 21.Then all ya need is track four. And play it baby, play it."

Buy This Album

avon345 | Virginia Beach, VA United States | 08/28/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Queens of the Stone Age might be the best rock band active today. "Songs For the Deaf," the group's third album, is their finest to date. That in and of itself is no small feat, as both of Queens' previous efforts were excellent in their own right. Dave Grohl (former Nirvana drummer, now Foo Fighters singer) plays drums on "Songs...," and his presence is most definitely felt. Homme and Oliveri, meanwhile, pieced together a record that works beginning to end.

"No One Knows" is the first single. The song is very unconventional underneath, with a guitar riff generally foreign to this genre, but rocks nevertheless. "First it Giveth" and "Go With the Flow" combine mainstream rock sensibilities with a powerful, live-sounding production. The overall song-writing quality here is phenomenal. "The Sky is Fallin," "Hangin' Tree," (from Desert Sessions 7/8), "Do It Again," and "Another Love Song" are all remarkable. Production is also very true to Queen's sound (I've seen them live). The end result is an album which in some ways reminds me of "In Utero," by Nirvana, not so much for its style, but its substance. Anyone who likes rock music, be it Staind, the Vines, Linkin Park or Nickelback, should buy "Songs for the Deaf." It may wind up being as essential as "Daydream Nation," "In Utero," and "OK Computer." At the very least, its among the best of 2002..."

A fresh saga

Sal Nudo | Champaign, Illinois | 03/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ah, a day in the life of FM rock radio -- as FM rock radio should be...



Queens of the Stone Age are a blessing of modern rock and roll, a group who doesn't succumb and conform to all the bland trends found so prominently in today's music. The first DJ on the album's car radio announces another day of boring FM rock, when suddenly, from nowhere, Queens of the Stone Age blast into a screaming rage that is more Mariyln Manson than Foo Fighters. The Foo Fighters' sound is promptly more evident on the next hit song, "No One Knows." And so this diverse album plays out: As the radio dial turns and various DJ's speak up, so springs forth an eclectic choice of music from one band -- all on one unique CD.



Queens of the Stone Age possess an extremely tight-knit sound that mixes melody with thrash at free will. The guitars often come in spurts, and meanwhile, guest drummer Dave Grohl clicks away on drums with abandon and precision. The cryptic guitars and eerie vibe to songs like "Song for the Deaf," "Hangin' Tree," "First it Giveth," "Song for the Dead" and "The Sky is Fallin'" all hearken back to a heavy metal age when bands like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden ruled, not that these guys sound like those bands by a longshot; it's just that Queens of the Stone Age has an aura to its sound reminiscent to where bands like Maiden and Sabbath came from.



Power pop rock also makes a huge appearance on "Songs for the Deaf," a la bands such as the Foo Fighters and Pixies: "Go With the Flow," "Gonna Leave You" and "Do it Again" are all potential modern rock hits on the radio. Simply put, this is the type of band kids in high school get excited about. At times speed metal, at times heavy pop, at times dark metal, Queens of the Stone Age can't be pinned down to any one sound. The last great tune, "Mosquito Song," is even driven by a Spanish guitar sound that turns operatic, a perfect closing tune for a perfect album -- during one day of perfect FM radio. Similarly, "Another Love Song" has a Spanish flair to it, once more displaying the broad range of this band's musical tastes, and its willingness to expand on those tastes.



The interspersed DJs on "Songs for the Deaf" are as diverse as the music, representing a time when rock on FM radio was also more varied. The first DJ pleads, "I need a SAGA, gimmee a SAGA." Well, this album is definitely the saga he seeks. It's a blistering synergy of music that is original, fresh, fun and untouchable."