Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris

From the moment that Songs for the Deaf was released it seems that Queens of the Stone Age were screwed. Every single bit of newly recorded material from that point on would then be compared to that golden beacon of melody, aggression and conceptual output without ever allowing it to simply stand on its own. Lullabies to Paralyze seemed like a departure for the band and their natural growth based on the first three records, despite Josh Homme still being the man behind the boards. So what of the bands latest, Era Vulgaris? As one could expect it seems that the band is continuing to explore new aural territory while keeping their same base palette of sounds at hand. Where Lullabies explored the more dirge / droning aspect of the band Era Vulgaris looks towards mixing disparate elements into a pop sound. Leadoff track "Turnin' on the Screw" embodies this with the scratched out guitar sound, harmonies vocals, and hypnotizing build up. More examples of this can be found in "3's & 7's" and the languid sounds of "Suture Up Your Future." But don't let the word "pop" fool you - this is still a Queens of the Stone Age record complete with its desert sound. More to the point, the album is obviously a sign that the players are more comfortable with each other, have less to prove and are content to create whatever sounds they find the most interesting to combine rather than whatever preconceived notions others expect of them. As the cover art depicts, the Era of Vulgarity can be as simple as two cartoon light bulbs hanging out and having a smoke. [www.qotsa.com]