Rank the Queens of the Stone Age albums

[Danger^Cart]

Probably my favorite band of this decade. They are to me everything that is right with the modern rock scene.

1.R - Not only is this easily my favorite of their albums, but among my favorite albums in general.

The rest are hard to rank, as QOTSA have what has to be one of the most consistently excellent track records (taking into account lapse of time) in music.

But I'd have to say...

2. Era Vulgaris
3. Lullabies to Paralyze
4. Songs for the Deaf

Feel free to rank your favorite tracks as well if it tickles you.

[outsyder]

One of my favorite bands as well.

If I had to rank em

1. QOTSA - The most psychedelic and raw sound of any of them. Fantastic songs that maintain the Kyuss influence heavily while incorporating Homme's lyrical prowess.
Fav tracks: Mexicola, How to Handle A Rope, Regular John

2. Rated R - The Kyuss influences are still there, but now the sound is a little more paranoid. The band has also began to branch out in more eclectic directions.
Fav tracks: In The Fade, The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret, I Think I Lost My Headache

3. Songs for the Deaf - Excellent guitar work supported by Dave Grohl's driving presence on drums throughout. My only criticism is that this album is perhaps a little too mainstream for its own good.
Fav tracks: God Is In The Radio, No One Knows, First It Giveth

4. Era Vulgaris
This album features more of a heavier, noise filled sound than normal, and while there isn't really anything new about it, it at least signals a recovery from Lullabies.
Fav tracks: Turning on the Screw, Sick Sick Sick, Misfit Love

5. Lullabies to Paralyze
Not a bad album, but certainly the weakest of the bunch. The band was going through a rough period, and the generally darker tone of some songs may reflect that. Kind of an all-over-the-place album.
Fav tracks: I Never Came, The Long Slow Goodbye, Tangled Up in Plaid


And Danger, if you haven't head the S/T album, drop what you're doing right now.

[Danger^Cart]

Unfortunately I haven't, not in its entirety anyway. It's one of those books I never got around to reading, even though I really like the author and have only heard great things about it.

I think I'll ditch this dunce hat and do that now, though.

Note: Never gelled with Kyuss the way I did QOTSA. Not sure why.

[outsyder]

Unfortunately I haven't, not in its entirety anyway. It's one of those books I never got around to reading, even though I really like the author and have only heard great things about it.

I think I'll ditch this dunce hat and do that now, though.

Note: Never gelled with Kyuss the way I did QOTSA. Not sure why.

I don't *love* Kyuss either, but in this case, the musical influence really lays the groundwork for a fantastic album. Homme's music is a bit more structured and the guitars are more beefed up compared to Kyuss. But of course this time around it's his voice and lyrics.

[therealjohng]

Their self titled is worth it for Mexicola alone. That song has a bad ass Bass intro.

[Ayestrain]

1 R (awesome songwriting and vocalist diversity win out)
2 QOTSA (one of the best debut albums of any band)
3 Songs For The Deaf (amazing LP but the fake radio shit grates after awhile)
4 Lullabies (I feel like this is the most underrated one, but it still comes in 4th)
5 Era Vulgaris (not anything superlative but a solid 5th place album)

Their self titled is worth it for Mexicola alone. That song has a bad ass Bass intro.

I fucking love that song.

Really dig stuff like "Autopilot" from R as well---wish they hadn't kicked Nick out of the band in hindsight, it's one of his best songs.

[Danger^Cart]

I'm I the only one who really loves Era Vulgaris? What I love most about QOTSA is how every album has a very distinct identity, and Era Vulgaris has this great post-garage rock and 70's vocalizing love child thing goin' on.

[Ayestrain]

I'm I the only one who really loves Era Vulgaris? What I love most about QOTSA is how every album has a very distinct identity, and Era Vulgaris has this great post-garage rock and 70's vocalizing love child thing goin' on.

As an album it blows away 90% of the so called "rock" music released this decade, but I have to say it's their weakest effort IMO.

[outsyder]

Agreed. It needs to be put in perspective. It's a good album, but there's nothing about it that blows me away, although it is a better release than Lullabies.

I find it sad that the song Era Vulgaris (which was recorded along with Trent Reznor) wasn't included on the final album. It's better than at least half of the songs that did make it.

[CosmicPuppet]

I'd put the debut at the top of the list. Overall as an album it's pretty damn good. The only song I don't really like is Walking on the Sidewalks. Other than that, it's just a fun, great debut. Heavy riffs, nice vocal melodies, good drumming.

Rated R would be next. Another solid addition. The only weak song is Tension Head which felt tacked on for Nick, but an otherwise forgettable song. The Quick and The Pointless is a better dirtier sounding song.

I'd actually put Lullabies to Paralyze third. There are some songs here that are much better than anything on Songs for the Deaf or Era Vulgaris. Those are Tangled Up in Plaid and Someone's in the Wolf. It also has two stinkers I don't care for at all... I Never Came and Skin on Skin. Those songs should have been cut and they should've kept the Fun Machine. I honestly thought the exclusion of Nick was a good idea for this album.

Songs for the Deaf. I feel that this album is great the first time you hear it but on subsequent listens, it loses its effect and some songs just bleed into the other because the sound for every song is exactly the same. There's songs I just don't care for... Gonna Leave You, Do It Again, Six Shooter, The Sky is Falling (which has nice harmonies but is just boring to me). Still, there's great stuff on this one like Mosquito Song, Another Love Song, and Go With the Flow.

Era Vulgaris. Lowest for simply because it felt like it was running on steam at times. I thought 3's and 7's is just pap for the radio. The lyrics weren't as good on this one either. I liked it better when Homme's more obscure. There's great songs, but also lame ducks like River in the Road, Suture Up Your Future, and a crappier version of Make It Wit Chu. It sounded ten times better on Desert Sessions 9 and 10.

Which brings me to my main point... I still think the best musical project Homme has been a part of is the Desert Sessions 9 and 10. I love that album to death more than any Queens record. I feel like his collaboration with PJ Harvey even outdid some of her own music. They fit together perfectly and I would love to see them make another album. There Will Never Be a Better Time is easily one of the most simple and haunting pieces of music I've ever heard. Crawl Home was a single that should have been on the radio. Powdered Wig Machine is an awesome little weird song.

I'm curious to see what Homme and Grohl cook up with John Paul Jones on that album they're working (or worked?) on. That should be interesting. I still think Homme is the most interesting vocalist, guitarist, songwriter in mainstream rock music.*

*I don't really consider Radiohead rock anymore.

[outsyder]

Another DS is due out later this year supposedly. Not sure if Harvey is involved.

[Ayestrain]

Agreed. It needs to be put in perspective. It's a good album, but there's nothing about it that blows me away, although it is a better release than Lullabies.

I find it sad that the song Era Vulgaris (which was recorded along with Trent Reznor) wasn't included on the final album. It's better than at least half of the songs that did make it.

It's too bad Lullabies doesn't get more appreciation--to me that's the great unloved bastard stepchild of the QOTSA catalog. How can you deny "Little Sister", "Tangled Up In Plaid", "Everybody Knows You're Insane", "Medication"--hell, the whole first half of that album is about perfect. The second half falls apart big time, but I also adore "Long Slow Goodbye". I remember listening to the shit out of this album at the time, and I could still probably put it on and not be sick of it to this day.

I'll have to track down that track with Reznor, never heard that. I will say this about Vulgaris--it definitely has it's own sound.



Era Vulgaris. Lowest for simply because it felt like it was running on steam at times. I thought 3's and 7's is just pap for the radio. The lyrics weren't as good on this one either. I liked it better when Homme's more obscure. There's great songs, but also lame ducks like River in the Road, Suture Up Your Future, and a crappier version of Make It Wit Chu. It sounded ten times better on Desert Sessions 9 and 10.

Whaaat? "Suture Up Your Future" is the shit! Love that one. The "Make It Wit Chu" is certainly inferior on there though.


Which brings me to my main point... I still think the best musical project Homme has been a part of is the Desert Sessions 9 and 10. I love that album to death more than any Queens record. I feel like his collaboration with PJ Harvey even outdid some of her own music. They fit together perfectly and I would love to see them make another album. There Will Never Be a Better Time is easily one of the most simple and haunting pieces of music I've ever heard. Crawl Home was a single that should have been on the radio. Powdered Wig Machine is an awesome little weird song.

I'm curious to see what Homme and Grohl cook up with John Paul Jones on that album they're working (or worked?) on. That should be interesting. I still think Homme is the most interesting vocalist, guitarist, songwriter in mainstream rock music.*

*I don't really consider Radiohead rock anymore.

Yeah, DS 9&10 is fucking amazing, mostly. It too has some duds, but for someone like me who is a huge PJ Harvey freak, it's an embarrassment of riches really. Who else but her could keep pace with the Queens guys? (Incidentally, CP, have you heard Homme's cover of Harvey's "The Whores Hustle & The Hustlers Whore"?) If you guys like that, you should check out Mark Lanegan's Bubblegum album, which also features Harvey, and his Here Comes That Weird Chill EP, which has Homme all over it. They're almost like lost DS tracks.

Hadn't heard about the Homme/Grohl/Jones record. That should be interesting to say the least.

[Danger^Cart]

I only like about half the songs on Sessions, though admittedly I haven't given it much playtime, and only even heard of it recently.

[Hucksta G]

1. Queens of the Stone Age
2. Songs for the Deaf
3. Rated R
4. Lullabies to Paralyze
5. Era Vulgaris

Love them all though.

[hrdude]

Being a massive fan of Kyuss I was interested to see where Josh went with Queens.

Songs for the Deaf - Just plain rocks, fav Song For The Dead
Rated R - I can just chill out to this, fav Autopilot
Lullabies to Paralyze - Dark, fav I Never Came
Queens of the Stone Age - Finding his feet, a mix of Kyuss and what was to come, fav Mexicola
Era Vulgaris - Have never really got into this. May take a few more spins.

I will say I miss Nick and Mark, specifically their vocals that added a dimension to Josh's.

[echo_bravo]

I'm I the only one who really loves Era Vulgaris?

Definitely not. I listen to it all the time.

Lullabies to Paralyze is probably my favorite album of theirs. Followed by Era Vulgaris

[Danger^Cart]

I've been bumping Lullabies A WHOLE FUCKING LOT lately. It's pretty much been on repeat for the past week and a half. I've never loved it this much, but for some reason it's just really clicking with me at the moment.

'You've Got a Killer Scene There, Man...' literally oozes cool. I wanna wear shades everytime I listen to it.

I'm finding that 'I Never Came' is a really beautiful song as well. Get's me all choked up.

[Jerk Shapiro]

I think I'll go with Lullabies. It's the strongest throughout, in my opinion. Great tracks include "Burn the Witch", "Someone's In the Wolf", "Tangled Up In Plaid", "Little Sister", etc...

Other than that, Rated R is great. Songs for the Deaf was great, and Era Vulgaris was OK. I haven't quite heard all of the self-titled. But then again, QOTSA is a strange group for me. I go through phases of listening to a lot of them, and then listening to none of them. I find their music to only stick with me for certain, small amounts of time.

[Danger^Cart]

Finally got the self titled.

Wow.