Joshua Homme seems to be having trouble keeping his bands straight.
The bandleader and the driving musical force behind stoner-rock heroes Queens of the Stone Age is also the founding member of the Desert Sessions albums and half of the Eagles of Death Metal.
He is one of the most unique and creative rock musicians working today, a shining light in the dark era of Ashlee Simpson and "American Idol."
On his main band's fine new album, Lullabies to Paralyze, Homme serves up a dark and sludgy nightmare with the sharp guitar edges and smooth vocals Queens of the Stone Age is known for.
Seven-minute epics share disc space with the amazing single "Little Sister" and the wonderful, blues-tinged "You've Got a Killer Scene There, Man."
These tunes ably match the eclectic feel of the band's last album, Songs for the Deaf. In fact, "Little Sister" is probably the best rock song all year. Listen to it twice, and I guarantee you won't get it out of your head for a week.
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Unfortunately, Homme, who has thus far managed to keep his various musical endeavors distinct and unique, appears to have allowed some of the less-refined, less-lively jams from his Desert Sessions to seep into the usually driving Queens.
One track, "In My Head," was originally on Desert Sessions 9, and the overly long "Someone's in the Wolf" slows down the album unnecessarily.
In addition, the band's guitarist, vocalist and songwriter is in danger of edging out the guest musicians whose appearances have offered more variety and talent than even he could muster by himself.
For example, Queens of the Stone Age regular and ex-Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan is usually given singing duties on one or two tracks. On this album he only has the meager, 80-second "This Lullaby" to rasp on.
ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons doesn't get to be flashy on the fun stomper "Burn the Witch" but still makes himself heard. That's more than can be said for Brody Dalle and Shirley Manson.
The Distillers and Garbage singers, respectively, supposedly offer guest vocals on "Killer Scene," but their barely audible contribution requires more effort than my concert-battered ears can manage.
Still, Homme is talented enough to carry the album practically by himself. Founding bassist Nick Olivieri was kicked out of the band for his hard-partying ways and was the apparent inspiration for the tracks "Medication," and "Everybody Knows That You're Insane."
The latter features Homme singing, "You wanna know why you feel so hollow? Because you are," just before the titular chorus comes pounding in.
The skillful singing and songwriting so prominent on Queens' albums is evident on the band's fourth album, especially when Homme's sultry voice lingers on the sexually charged words of "Skin on Skin."
Let's see the sexless alt-metal bands that dominate rock radio intone lyrics like those on "Skin" or "Broken Box" without getting laughed off the airwaves.
While it may be testing the limits of how much distinctly great music Homme is capable of releasing at once, Lullabies is more than good enough to hold his fans over until this summer's Eagles of Death Metal album, Death By Sexy.
Lullabies to
Paralyze
Queens of the Stone Age
Grade: A-
