Them Crooked Vultures – Self Titled

Led Zeppelin and Queens of the Stone Age have come together to have a very musically talented, if not a little deranged, love-baby. Compromised of Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), this band is…

Well, it’s three badass musicians rocking out. Three generations of rock and roll pumping directly into your brain. This album is a blend of both Zeppelin and QotSA inspired tunes, but with some decidedly original tracks thrown in there. This album is FULL of music. Every inch of space is filled with rich and expert sound. Every beat from Dave Grohl’s hands is perfectly placed. Every note from Jones’ reverberating bass is perfect. Every strum and lyric of Homme’s is wholly amazing, lilting in and out of incredibly composed pieces of music…

As for the album, self-titled and just released yesterday, it’s an ebb and flow of music. Rising and ebbing in unmatched waves, bringing you up and down just enough to keep you riveted until the very end. The bi-product of three genius minds, all equally obsessed with music.

That being said: I don’t like it.

I’ve been waiting for this album for weeks? Months? Ever since I first heard of this collaboration of hard rock glory. It was supposed to be the album of the year. The defining moment of 2009′s musical history…and I just don’t get it.

I understand where they’re trying to go with it, but I just don’t like it. I do find myself more drawn to the Zeppelin inspired tunes, “New Fang”, “Elephants”, “Reptiles”, the more trippy, 70′s inspired tracks. Some tracks on here are just plain fucking weird, though. “Caligulove”? Really?

Alright, look. I really want to like this album. I want to like all music, it just doesn’t work out that way. I’m still giving this album a B, because it IS original and it is musically superior to so much of the utter shit that the music industry churns out anymore. It’s just not my cup of tea.They look like tons of fun live though…Dave Grohl is an animal on the drums.

The Them Crooked Vultures Site