Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

The side project known as Them Crooked Vultures have released their much buzzed about debut album. You might recognize a few familiar names from this group based out of Los Angeles, CA. The super group is fronted by Josh Homme of Queens of The Stone Age with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Led Zeppelin bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones on board as well. Judging by the overall sound of the album, this is definitely a full fledged group effort and not just a one-off side project.

The album opens up with "No One Loves Me & Neither Do I", a gritty and melodic hard rock opus that features Josh's familiar and rhythmic vocals pouring through every crevice of the song. "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" features Josh's fantastic guitar work that is leaps and bounds ahead from the music he had created in Queens of The Stone Age. My favorite song off the album is the disc's first single "New Fang", an extremely melodic and gritty tune that highlights Dave's legendary drum skills that he perfected when he was a member of Nirvana. A solid tune all around and one that best encapsulates the spirit of the album as a whole.

As the album rolls along we hear "Elephants",  a fast paced, non-stop fury of guitars and drums that has slow, melodic interludes in between each hardcore breakdown to allow the listener to take notice of the musical characteristics that are present in this tune. "Scumbag Blues" features some intricate guitar riffs set amongst a backdrop of furious drums that all adds up to an exquisite listen. "Bandoliers" is a mid-tempo melodic blast that has a toned down edge to it that makes it different from all the other songs on the album.

As we near the home stretch, we discover "Warsaw or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up", a simple, straight-forward rocker that again features Josh's dazzling vocal harmonies and masterful drum work. John Paul Jones' keyboard skills are also a particular highlight of this track. "Gunman" is a fiercely melodic tune that sets the bar pretty high from the get-go and never lets up until the very end with its fiery guitar riffs and Josh's piercing vocals once again taking charge on this one. I'm always a bit skeptical about side projects because I don't know if the principal members of the band intend to return to their original bands after they complete an album or whether it's a permanent fixture. With Them Crooked Vultures, they have a distinct sound that is nothing like their counterparts have created and blends together the sounds of all three bands they were in prior to joining this group, and this shows that they are a full time band, not just a side project.

All in all, a splendid and well constructed effort that brings together three musicians you never thought you would see together in a band, and completely smashes the perception on rock supergroups and proves that this is a band we'll be hearing from a lot more in the future.

                                                                                                                               Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. No One Loves Me & Neither Do I
2. Mind Eraser, No Chaser
3. New Fang
4. Dead End Friends
5. Elephants
6. Scumbag Blues
7. Bandoliers
8. Reptiles
9. Interlude With Ludes
10. Warsaw or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up
11. Caligalove
12. Gunmen
13. Spinning In Daffodils