Album: Them Crooked Vultures - 'Them Crooked Vultures'

Polly Coupland

19/11/09

The new old kids on the block

How does a new band sell out a US tour without most people in the crowd having ever heard their music? Perhaps it's down to an incredible line-up like putting Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Probot, Queens of the Stone Age, Scream) on drums, getting vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal) and bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) oh plus Alain Johannes (What Is This?, Eleven, Queens of the Stone Age) as a live rhythm guitarist. Yeah that'll do it.

Them Crooked Vultures have set out to make timeless sounding music and they have succeeded. Their debut album sounds exactly as you would imagine, there are riffs galore and hints of dirty blues, the members of this supergroup are having a ball!

It sounds dark and weird, exactly what you are looking for if you are a fan of these performers. As much as it is fun to listen to an embrace the collective rock 'genius' though it is hard not to feel like the album is a bit of a non brainer. Like most 'supergroup' offerings, of course it is going to be half decent and there is an audience for it but without wanting to sound like a a killjoy - is there any need for it?

Okay, that's a bit harsh - there are lots of notable aspects, like the aggressive lyrics; for example in No One Loves Me we hear; "She said, I got a beautiful place to put your face – and she was right". The use of interesting funk keyboards and the always awesome mix of Grohl and Homme's vocals bring it up a level too.

Elephants, Warsaw and First Breath You Take After You Give Up go on for a bit longer than necessary and that is probably Homme's influence and will be exactly what QOTSA fans are looking for. Spinning in the Daffodils also comes in as a long cut too at seven and a half minutes long, but is a standout track that encapsulates doom rock to a tee.

If you let yourself go Them Crooked Vultures is the kind of album that you want to play loud and imagine that you are seeing them play live. There UK tour kicks off next month and there are still tickets available so if you want to live the dream and see one of the best supergroups around at the moment here is your chance.