Until this morning, I had no idea the Wall Street Journal reviewed music.  They even have a rock critic–Jim Fusilli–and he’s got a story in today’s paper about Them Crooked Vultures (TCV), the latest “supergroup” featuring Dave Grohl (Nirvana & Foo Fighters) on drums, John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) on keyboard/bass, and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) on guitar and vocals.  A supergroup, for those who don’t know, is kind of like the 07-08 Boston Celtics.  Garnett, Pierce, and Allen all made names for themselves leading separate teams but for whatever reason they all donned green jerseys in 07-08 and made opponents cry in the process.  But this isn’t basketball, it’s music.  The formula for success is much different.  Adding big names to the same group usually doesn’t have a cumulative effect.  It might have worked perfectly for say, Cream, but TCV’s self-titled debut album is bit of a let down.

Although he wasn’t impressed by TCV’s live performance, Fusilli says that the songs off their studio album are “built from the bottom up,” and that “he can’t think of a supergroup that stands on such a solid platform.”  First, what exactly does it mean for a song to be built from the bottom up? And what would a top down song sound like?  Second, I agree that the band stands on a solid platform.  As far as I can tell, the group only has one problem, but it’s a big one: Josh Homme’s voice is awful on all of the tracks except for “New Fang.”  It’s dull. It drones.  It wanders through most of the album without direction, which is sad because the musical accompaniment from Grohl and Jones is first class.

Esse é o bom e velho ROCK mas é fresquinho e barulhento!

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) no baixo, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) na voz e guita e Dave Grohl (Nirvana e Foo Fighters) na batera!

Só ouvi o CD hoje mais to pirando!!! É pegada! Escuta essa prévia aí e baixa o CD:

Them Crooked Vultures at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle on November 21, 2009.

Edit this setlist | More Them Crooked Vultures setlists

No One Loves Me & Neither Do I:

Elephants:

Montage:

Links:

• Photos: The Stranger
• Photos: Seattle Weekly
• Photos: STG Presents at Flickr
• Review & Photos: Seattle pi
• Review: The Seattle Times
• Review: Examiner.com
• Review: Crosscut.com

Um comandou as baquetas no disco mais importante dos anos 90. Outro é líder de uma das grandes bandas deste início de século. Ambos estão entre os artistas mais talentosos, versáteis e prestigiados da atualidade. Junta-se a eles o ex-baixista da maior banda de rock dos anos 70. E os três juntos resolvem fazer música. Assumindo ou não o rótulo de “supergrupo”, a verdade é que este encontro entre Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) e John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) é um dos pontos altos desta década musical e vem dar uma esquentada num ano pra lá de morno no mundo rock. Restava saber, então, se este primeiro disco do Them Crooked Vultures (algo como “urubus desonestos”) conseguiria corresponder a todas as expectativas criadas em torno de seu lançamento.

Na primeira faixa, “No One Loves Me & Neither Do I”, já é possível sentir todo o clima que acompanha praticamente todo o disco, até os últimos acordes. Muito peso e distorção nas guitarras, muitos riffs conduzindo as melodias, letras carregadas de testosterona e sarcasmo. Em poucos trechos, a fórmula se alterna, como na nebulosa “Interlude With Ludes”, que mais parece saída de um disco do Tom Waits. Os melhores momentos vêm com a seqüência “New Fang” e “Dead End Friends”, onde encontramos a perfeita combinação entre a crueza do hard rock clássico e a pegada mais melódica do rock alternativo atual. Em outras faixas, como em “Spinning in Daffodils”, esse equilíbrio é deixado de lado em favorecimento de um som mais agressivo, mas que acaba tornando a “barulheira” um tanto despropositada e desvaloriza os vocais de Josh Homme.

No entanto, mesmo quando não é sua voz que mais aparece nas músicas, é a guitarra de Homme que faz o papel principal em 80% do disco. Mais ou menos assim: Dave Grohl e John Paul Jones comandam a cozinha e o líder do QOTSA serve o prato. Um prato com aquele gostinho de deserto californiano, muito mais do que de pub londrino. Portanto, aos fãs de Led Zeppelin, é válido o aviso de que, neste disco do Them Crooked Vultures, não reconhecemos a ex-banda de Jones em muito momentos, que não na levada de “Scumbag Blues” ou nos dez segundos iniciais de “Elephants” (onde, em compensação, é quase possível imaginar Jimmy Page entoando o riff da guitarra). À falta dessa influência mais óbvia do gênio criativo de Grohl e Jones pode ser creditada uma das poucas falhas incômodas dessa estréia do grupo. Sorte deles que o gênio de Homme também não é pequeno.

Além do mais, o simples fato deste encontro ter se concretizado já é um baita presente para o público. Afinal, grupos de rock haviam virado lenda há uns 30 anos – pelo menos, segundo a noção eternizada por Led Zeppelin e The Who, nos anos 60 e 70, onde um grande grupo era formado, antes de mais nada, por magníficos instrumentistas. O Them Crooked Vultures traz de volta, se não em seu som, ao menos em sua formação gabaritada, um pouco desse espírito saudosista, que valoriza mais um palco cheio de boas performances, do que um cheio de roupas bonitas e efeitos especiais.

Se Grohl, Homme e Jones ainda não mostraram todo o estrago que são capazes de fazer como um trio, este primeiro disco apresenta o Them Crooked Vultures, ao menos, como uma cartada promissora, de onde ainda podemos esperar algumas boas doses de decência musical. Pois se o rock, de fato, está morto, esses três “urubus” dão aqui um bom exemplo de como tirar proveito de sua carne podre.

artista: Them Crooked Vultures
álbum: Them Crooked Vultures
lançamento: novembro de 2009

Nota: 7,5

En este capitulo repasamos temas en directo de los siguientes grupos:

Kiss, Black Sabbath, Halford, Them Crooked Vultures, Motorhead, Sacred Reich, Machinehead, God Forbid, Life of Agony, Street Sweeper Social Club, Helloween, The Cult

Tambien sa habla sobre lo siguiente:

Eric Carr, Freddy Mercury, Azkena, Kobetasonik, Tony Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Heaven & Hell, Rudolf Schencker, Metal Mike, Winter Songs, Talking Metal, Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, John Paul Jones, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Led Zepplin, Angel City and other Cities Live 1991, Dave McClain, Doc Coyle, Joey Z, Tom Morello, Boots Riley, Michael Kiske, Ozzfest

El podcast se puede descargar en formato que prefiere desde aquí:

O escucha online aquí:

Acho que nunca falei de música aqui no boteco, só de música de comercial, mas tava na hora, afinal boteco sem música não é boteco,porra!

Sabe quando você pensa que chocolate+sorvete+biscoito+nutella daria uma coisa ótima e disso se tem absoluta certeza!?Pois é, os músicos às vezes pensam assim… Ainda bem!

Porque ai acontecem àquelas bandas muito fodas, nem que durem só um verão!

Pensando em me fazer feliz mais uma vez é o John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) e Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) resolveram fundar o Them Crooked Vultures.

Josh nos vocais, Dave na bateria e Sr.Paul Jones no baixo e afins…

A bando virou meu hot sex, mas disso eu já sabia, afinal eu gosto dos moços e das bandas… Mas o seguinte,quem não for afim de QOTSA não vai gostar do TCV,afinal a voz do Josh Homme é super característica,fazendo com que a banda lembre mais com o QOTSA,mas tem uma pegada muito Led,meio psicodélica em algumas músicas e logicamente a pegada destrutiva do Grohl na bateria é phyna e baphônica.

O primeiro cd do TCV já saiu na Gringa,não sei se está em prateleiras tupiniquins e já está pelo mundo virtual há tempos!

Fikadika!

Demorou, mas tá saindo minha resenha sobre o disco de estreia do Them Crooked Vultures. Confesso que desde que fiquei sabendo do surgimento dessa big band, fiquei ansioso para ver o que ia sair de lá. Acompanhava diariamente as notícias, ouvia sem parar os trechos de 20, 30 segundos que eles disponibilizavam das músicas. Até postava de vez em quando aqui sobre a banda.

E agora tive tempo de parar pra ouvir o tão falado album com atenção. De início estranhei um pouco. Esperava algo mais Led Zeppelin, e veio uma coisa muito Queens of The Stone Age. Não que eu não goste do QOTSA, é uma das minhas bandas preferidas, mas eu não imaginava que o som dessa nova big band teria tanta influência do Josh Homme. Não que isso seja ruim. Pelo contrário, o Josh é um dos meus músicos prediletos.

Mas agora, depois de ouvir pela vigésima vez o disco, indo e voltando do trabalho, deu pra sacar a força do som. De fato, não é uma música fácil de ser ouvida. Principalmente pra quem não curte ou não teve muito contato com os trabalhos anteriores do grupo. Mas depois de sentir a complexidade da parada, a gente tira o chapéu.

Esse disco é uma obra primorosa. Bem trabalhado, você percebe que foi feito por músicos de verdade, cada um ali com mais de 15, 20 anos de experiência (só o vovô John Paul Jones tem 40, desde o primeiro lançamento do Led Zeppelin em 1969). Melodias bem elaboradas, uma excelente harmonia, com certeza é o melhor lançamento do ano.

Tomara que a banda dure!

Them Crooked Vultures – Nobody Loves Me & Neither Do I

Them Crooked Vultures – Dead End Friends

Them Crooked Vultures – Scumbag Blues

¿Recuerdan los níveles “bonus” de Street Fighter 2, en donde en un minuto uno debía reventar un automóvil para ganar puntos? Nunca olvidaré la sensación de esos dedos pulgares enrojecidos por la caimanera con que uno despedazaba sin piedad los vidrios y carrocería del auto. Bueno pues mientras escuchaba este disco quise estar en una situación parecida, reventando a mansalva algún objeto inanimado. Así de bueno es.

Partiendo de lo obvio, una reunión entre el bajista de Led Zeppelin, el guitarrista de Queens of The Stone Age/ Kyuss, y el baterista de Nirvana/frontman de Foo Fighters, no tendría porqué salir mal. Ahora, pasado el hype del asunto y luego de darle play al disco es clarísimo que la banda no viene con pretensiones de reescribir la historia de la música. Sencillamente son 3 tipos sumamente talentosos que se pusieron a jammear, se sintieron bien y decidieron echar a andar el proyecto. Como era de esperar, los riffs de Josh Homme son pegajozos y con una energía brutal, la línea de bajo y los arreglos con teclado de John Paul Jones son precisos y dotan al disco de texturas interesantes, mientras que la batería de Dave Grohl nunca había sonado tan inspirada y fuerte.

No one loves me and neither do I, comienza el disco de una manera calmada y hasta podríamos decir medio panzoneada, pero a mitad de canción la cosa se pone buena y no se detiene durante 70 minutos. Sobresalen algunos temas ridículamente buenos como Bandoliers, Gunman o Scumbag blues, pero el disco en general es bastante sólido a pesar de que se siente un pelo más largo de lo que debería.

Me parece que escucharlo puede generar dos reacciones: o te sientes lleno de energía y necesitas expulsarla de una manera violenta, o te sientes como un niño con camisa blanca en medio de un bar plagado de strippers, mientras un hombre de bigote te desviste con la mirada. En mi caso, estoy buscando un bate para luego ir al estacionamiento más cercano para reventar algunos vidrios y faros.

Rapidshare

torrent

Non, Josh et Dave n’est pas le nom d’une nouvelle série ! Les Josh et Dave en question ne sont autres que Josh Homme et Dave Grohl. Quoi, vous ne voyez pas qui ils sont ? Bon bah, un récap’ rapide alors !

Josh Homme, c’est le chanteur du célébrissime groupe Queen Of The Stone Age(dit aussi QOTSA).Actif depuis 1997, ils nous ont sortie il y a 2 ans Era vulgaris(comprenant la chanson ‘Make it wit chu’). Vous avez pu aussi les entendre sur le jeux Need for speed underground II avec In my head(tiréé de Lullabies to Paralyze). Mais avant QOTSA, Homme a vu sa carrière lancée par le groupe Kyuss dont la durée d’existence ne fut que de 6 ans. Mais Homme ne s’arrète pas là, en 1998 il forme Eagles of death metal avec Jesse Hughes. Il participe aussi à l’album Lickers last leg de Goon Moon, composé d’un certain Jeordie White.

Dave Grohl, il n’est autre que le batteur du groupe ayant lancé la mode des cheveux gras, Nirvana. Et donc, après avoir défoncé ses toms, après la mort de Kurt Cobain, il revient en 1995 en fondant les Foo Fighters pour cette fois-ci pousser la chansonnette et j’ai envie de dire : quelle voix ! Personne n’a pu passer à côté de l’album Echoes, silence, patience and grace où ‘The Pretender’ ouvre le bal.

Le rapport entre ces deux messieurs ? Ils viennent de nous sortir une nouvelle formation : Them Crooked Vultures. Josh Homme reste au chant et à la gratte. Dave Grohl, lui, retrouve sa caisse claire. Et le bassiste alors ? John Paul Jones. Qui c’est ? Le bassiste de Led Zeppelin. Vous l’aurez compris Them Crooked Vultures, c’est le rassemblement de 3 grandes pointures de la musique ! Le cd éponyme est sorti le 17 novembre. Et ça sonne comment ? Bah ça dépote mon pote ! De la guitare qui entraine(jusqu’au bout de la nuit?), de la batterie qui s’emballe! Petit point noir : ça penche un peu sur du QOTSA. C’est pas à mettre entre les mains d’un fan du groupe !

Meekko.

Today in KROQ Music News: Kick a Ginger… But don’t kick a ginger named Josh Homme, Bridge School Benefit Volume 4, and Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” on MTV.

Yeeeah, you might want to think about that.

See Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures.

The Kicknote chart-toppers this week were Justin Bieber, Them Crooked Vultures, and Ke$ha.

Justin Bieber is a 15 year-old Canadian pop singer who has a deal with Island Records. His first full-length album just released last week. Bieber has been in the news recently because of a borderline riot at a Canadian mall involving hoards of teenage girl fans. Single to check out: “One Time.”

Them Crooked Vultures is a supergroup consisting of Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age). Their debut album was just released on Nov 17th. Single to check out: “New Fang.”

Ke$ha is a pop/dance artist out of Los Angeles, making her third appearance in the top 3. She first burst onto the music scene with an appearance in Flo Rida’s “Right Round.” Single to check out: “Tik Tok.”

Volevano una svolta. Per questo gli Arctic Monkeys si sono lasciati alle spalle l’Inghilterra e hanno preso la strada verso il deserto americano. Ecco spiegata la scelta di affidare la produzione del loro terzo album Humbug a Josh Homme, leader dei Queens of the Stone Age e profeta dello Stoner rock. L’obiettivo era quello di adottare un sound vintage e psichedelico, in grado di dare al gruppo un’identità più matura rispetto all’Indie rock degli esordi.

Registrato tra il deserto del Mojave, Los Angeles e Brooklyn (dove ha contribuito al mixaggio anche l’altro produttore James Ford) il nuovo disco delle Scimmie è quindi un passo avanti coraggioso, ma forse troppo radicale. Alla lunga infatti si fa fatica a fare proprie le nuove canzoni, perché il punto di forza di Humbug è paradossalmente proprio la sua debolezza. Questo suono più duro, che ricorda i Black Sabbath e gli stessi Queens of the Stone Age, con il passare delle tracce dimostra tutti i suoi limiti. Non mancano alcuni brani ben riusciti: il singolo Crying lightning, l’apertura di My propeller e la piratesca Pretty visitors su tutte.

Ma è l’album nel suo complesso a non convincere: mancano i ritornelli, mancano le melodie che hanno fatto la fortuna degli Arctic Monkeys. Non bastano un paio di discrete ballate – Secret door e Cornerstone – a rompere la monotonia psichedelica quasi forzata che Alex Turner e soci cercano ossessivamente in ogni pezzo. Brani come Potion approaching o Fire and the thud si fanno apprezzare più per le atmosfere che evocano che per la loro effettiva qualità.

Stesso discorso per i testi: l’eloquenza di Turner, capace di creare quelle piccole ma efficaci storie di provincia come nell’esordio di Whatever people say, è sparita nel nulla. Insomma ai fan degli Arctic Monkeys è rimasta solo la polvere del deserto. Ma forse sentono già la mancanza della cara e vecchia pioggia inglese.

Voto: 6,3

Dave Grohl (Foo Fightes), Josh Homme (Queen’s Of The Stone Age) és John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) közös zenekara idén robbant be a köztudatba, majd néhány koncert után első lemezét pár hete jelentette meg. Az album eladási statisztikáiról még nem is érkeztek hírek, a trió azonban máris a folytatást tervezi, mondván, annyira jól érzik magukat ebben a zenekarban, hogy akár szünet nélkül készek belevágni egy másik albumba…

“Úgy érzem, még csak most szívtuk fel magunkat igazán, miért akarnánk leállni?” – tette fel a kérdést Josh Homme, míg Jones így reagált: “Mindannyian úgy érezzük, hogy még nagyon sok van bennünk“.
Megszólalt Dave Grohl is, aki egy ígérettel harangozta be a következő lemezt, és elmondta: a második album még energikusabb lesz, mint az első volt.

-est-

Click here  for details.

 I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Foo Fighters’ ‘Greatest Hits’ will be seen as a major milestone for Dave Grohl’s band, maybe even the end. Them Crooked Vultures could become more than a pleasurable side-project.

Last year, when the Foo Fighters were in London Led Zeppelin fan Grohl had Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones step on stage to perform two Zeppelin classics with Dave back behind the kit. Then earlier this year the ever-active Dave Grohl gave himself a special 40^th birthday present. He invited John Paul Jones and Queens Of The Stone Age guitarist Josh Homme to meet him for a “blind date” at a medieval banquet, for some old fashioned jousting, bonding and a jam. The Zeppelin fuelled Them Crooked Vultures album is the result. Already they’ve said they’re keen to record a second album.

Them Crooked Vultures’ self-titled first album is what it had to be, quick and easy, Dave taking a back seat at the kit, letting Josh Homme take the lead. Otherwise it would be second-hand Foo Fighters. John Paul Jones, like Dave is a happy collaborator. For his part, Jones has said that after making the Them Crooked Vultures album he’s not interested in the much-muted Led Zeppelin reunion. For a moment back there he and Jimmy Page were auditioning replacements (?) for Robert Plant who’s having too much fun recording and touring his Grammy-winning union with Allison Krauss to think about Led Zeppelin.

Obviously there’s unfinished business here. More Them Crooked Vultures. What more can Dave do that he hasn’t already done with the Foo Fighters? Maybe the next Vultures album will change the line-up. Dave and John Paul are guaranteed to be there. Josh is also keen. Imagine if that other “busiest man in rock” and Led Zeppelin disciple Jack White got involved! THAT would be too much to hope for!

Nobody knows the answers to the ultimate questions. How amazing is that. In a world full of opinions no one really knows. Many educated guesses, but nobody knows. Thousands of years of mankind and not a soul has a clue. That blows my mind. The german artist and philosopher Michael Schmidt-Salomon says that the cornerstones of human existence are Art, Philosophy and Science. Holy Trinity? Anyway, he’s an amazing guy that you should look into. Sadly, none of his works have been translated to english yet, but I’ll keep you updated as soon as it happens.

I’m not much of a scientist, but I love art and philosophy. At the moment there isn’t so much action going on around the tattoo. I still want to write an in-depth post about the unbelievable ART experience I had in Lüneburg, but I’ll do that later. I’m watching ‘Gossip Girl’ right now while drinking and smoking green tea. I’m not a man of faith, but XOXO makes me think the Apocalypse is happily hopping in our direction.

I’m beginning to enjoy this blog thing. The virtual high-school diary I never had, now I’m in my 30’s doing what I despised for so many years… But there is amazing art out there and I’d like to use this medium to share the shit I love with you guys.

As I mentioned before, my back is a real herniated mess. I have my second operation coming up soon and since June I’m a highly medicated part-time invalid. Stephanie and Leni are in London and I’m alone most of the time. I miss them so much. What’s keeping me alive at the moment is the ‘Eagles of Death Metal‘. It is the finest, sexiest, shake your dick Rock N’ Roll out there. Jesse ‘Boots Electric’ Hughes and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) are the Tyler/Perry, Jagger/Richards and Plant/Page of today. EoDM have released three records to date. They’re all killer no filler. Period. You must spend thirteen days by yourself, naked, listening to them on big ass head phones for 17 hours a day. You won’t find the answers to the big questions, but you’ll simply become happy. Like a true Rock N’ Roll flower. You’ll blossom. I’m in quite a bit of pain a lot of the time, but they’ve massaged the boogie into my heart and I feel invincible. If the EoDM were a painting, they’d make you smile, feel horny, undress and be really expensive for an underground piece of art. Eagles of Death Metal. Taking Rock N’ Roll back to the future.

Eagles of Death Metal – Heart On – 2009

I’m getting tattooed by my brother Matt Powers tomorrow and I’m really excited. Gonna get a wicked piece. Two days ago I realized that I could legally have sex with girls that were not yet born when Guns N’ Roses released the ‘Use Your Illusion’ records. I feel old. I have so much respect for people who work in places where there’s never any sunlight. There’s so many of them.

That’s all for now. Wear earplugs at bass heavy parties. Going deaf sucks. XOXO – TIM

No more music reviews for a few weeks. I’ve found what I’ll be listening to for the foreseeable future. It’s almost too ridiculous to be real and pretty much a rundown of my favourite bands from ages twelve to twenty-four. Dave Grohl, drummer for Nirvana and I guess the Foo Fighters too, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, probably the single greatest influence I’ve ever had for playing bass (when I was first learning I would play along to Zeppelin I and II to emulate every one of his lines) and Josh Homme, Queens of the Stone Age frontman, Desert Sessions creative mastermind and the best guitarist playing today. That’s Them Crooked Vultures. The super group to end all super groups.

Oh Jesus.

As to be expected, the riffs are gigantic, the drums and bass are heavy as Mac trucks, the lyrics irreverent and the vocal melodies as catchy as anything. Every one of the tracks on Them Crooked Vultures is a straightforward foot stomper, usually broken into massive instrumental climaxes and with each bar packed with as many impressive instrumental licks as possible without completely giving in to total overindulgence (Mind Eraser, No Chaser possibly possessing the highest volume of squealing guitar fills a song is capable of supporting).

It’s difficult to write about only a few outstanding songs but its easy to identify a few tunes as good indications of the album’s sound. The stupidly catchy refrain of New Fang, the disorienting tempo of the most Zeppelinesque track, Elephants and the nearly indescribable quality of the guitar work (from Homme’s always fantastic store of unique tones) on the recurring chorus of Scumbag Blues all serve as great examples of the album’s feel.

There’s enough variety here to make Them Crooked Vultures a consistently interesting listen too. Interlude with Ludes neatly breaks up the album a little after it’s halfway mark, cleansing the palette with its conspicuous absence of massive guitars and pounding drums and bass — before once again breaking into the heavy, broken-glass blues of Warsaw (or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up).

The choice to let the ear breathe is a smart one and is reflected even in the sporadic rests dropped throughout songs. It shows the same understanding that made Queens of the Stone Age’s Songs for the Deaf so great — turn the volume down on your listener for thirty seconds so that the next attack sounds fresh again. Attention to dynamics make a hard or heavy record retain shelf life and ensures that complete album play throughs are actually enjoyable, unlike, say, The Locust, a band that’s interesting but impossible to listen to at full volume for an hour. It’s an effect that Homme has deftly employed on every one of his albums and it’s one of the reasons that this album works as well as it does.

I could gush more but I won’t. If you’re a fan of one of the contributing artists, and most likely you are, then give this one a listen. It’s probably the best straight-up rock album coming out this year and one that is nearly impossible to take out of the CD player (or iTunes playlist for you fancy types).

And I was joking. I’ll stop listening long enough to write more music reviews but I won’t like it.

— Reid

So what exactly is a supergroup? Tracing the history of the supergroup it seems to exist less as a musical term than as a marketing strategy; bestowing members of bands adorned with the supergroup crown the luxury of being able to release an album of Shoegaze Wham covers and still guarantee that some sad git will buy it. One thing is for certain however, whatever the hell a supergroup is, Them Crooked Vultures definitely are one. So what is the product of the Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul-Jones collaboration actually like?

On paper, Them Crooked Vultures’ (TCV) self titled debut album should be a prime cut of rock and roll steak, in reality it’s more a McDonald’s drive through; still good, but I couldn’t have it every day. The real joy of Josh Homme in QOTSA was always the unadulterated groove he could bring to even the most simple of riffs. It is this groove that a majority of TCV’s debut album lacks, riffs seem regular and regimented when they should be sleazy and sexy, album opener No One Loves Me & Neither Do I is a prime example of this.

There are nevertheless still moments of brilliance. New Fang feels like the most complete song on the album fusing together a bouncing verse and catchy off-kilter chorus before climaxing in an outro dominated by a Gatling Gun-esque assault on the drums from Dave Grohl.

If this album was laid to rest for its failures then its fifth track; Elephant would surely be its epitaph; standing as an example of why the whole album is no longer living. The opening riff is indeed one that Jimmy Page would be proud to call his own but unfortunately for Homme and Co. these initial 10 seconds are then drowned in the musical nothingness of the next 400. The track drifts into the supergroup jam band hotel and decides to book the room right next to Emerson, Lake and Palmer, however unfortunately for TCV no good bands stay in that hotel anymore.

Album stand out track Scumbag Blues sees John Paul-Jones dig out the clavinet, Josh Homme strip back the dense riffage and vocally ascend to dizzying heights for a number that could easily slot into the Zeppelin back catalogue. The crisp and snappy drum work of Grohl combined with John Paul-Jones’ Trampled Underfoot style clavinet work gives the instrumental refrains of this song an interesting and attractive texture that is lacking from many other songs.

The second half of the album is decidedly average. The intro of Bandoliers is as boring as the rest of the song and spawns the finger itch that makes you flick through Reptiles to the totally pointless Interlude With Ludes.

Calligulove is the only remaining song of any interest on the album, thanks once again to the keyboard work of John Paul-Jones. However like so many of its predecessors the song soon drowns in riffs and gets smothered by Homme’s chesty vocals. Indeed by the time album finale Spinning in Daffodils grinds into motion the listener is left begging for some vocal variation; Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegan. . . .bloody Mark Owen; just give us anything but Josh Homme’s silky smooth whining!

Them Crooked Vultures are your archetypal supergroup, on paper they have all the talent to be the greatest band of their generation, yet like so many of their predecessors they come nowhere close. Long, boring songs are seemingly transplanted straight from jam sessions to record with no consideration of the audience giving an album lacking in structure or character in many parts.

Credit where credits due, in places the album delivers a fist of rock and roll, riff soaked groove right to the face (and groin) of the listener, but unfortunately on the whole it appears to be less Them Crooked Vultures and more ‘boring wonky pigeons’.

Así es apenas el primer disco de esta “Super Band” ya piensa en grabar 2 disco y es que los 3 integrantes piensan que aun falta mucho por explotar sus habilidades y están seguros que podrán hacer un disco más pesado que su disco debut que lleva como nombre el mismo de la banda.

Josh Homme comento a el periódico The Sun que no le gusta que los llamen Super Group, “yo no puedo lidiar con eso, no como pensando en eso, simplemente no me importa todo eso.”          

Lo que es un hecho es que este trío tiene como intención ser una banda seria y no quedar como una banda de cotorreo.

O Them Crooked Vultures é o novo projeto de Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age) e John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin).