CD of The Week

Josh Homme and his band of Queens are back from the desert with …Like Clockwork, the first new Queens Of The Stone Age album in six years. In the meantime, Homme did a stint as one-third of the supergroup Them Crooked Vultures, but also had a health scare due to complications from knee surgery in 2010. That event greatly influenced the new record, which has a sarcastic slant to its title, as in nothing happened “like clockwork” during the making of it. Now on Matador Records, Homme’s brand of unique “stoner rock” remains intact, with woozy, trippy guitar work abound and his recognizable croon.

…Like Clockwork kicks off with the sludgy opener “Keep Your Eyes Peeled,” while “I Sat By The Ocean” is a showcase for some classic Homme guitar riffs. Much of the album's pre-release chatter centered on its guest stars. Dave Grohl returns to the drum kit, after famously playing on QOTSA’s breakthrough album Songs For The Deaf. However, Grohl is only on about 2/3 of the new songs. And while ousted bassist/singer Nick Oliveri is back in the fold, he’s only on two tracks.

Essentially all the special guests on the album show up on the epic “Fairweather Friends.” This song has everyone: Elton John, Trent Reznor, Mark Lanegan, Dave Grohl, a midget… (Well, maybe not that last one.) Longtime QOTSA cohort Lanegan is also in the mix on “If I Had A Tail,” one of the strongest songs on the album, withArctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner and Oliveri appearing on it as well. Another highlight of the record is “Smooth Sailing,” with its slimy groove; it also features many of Homme’s best pithy lyrical turns on the record.

The other half of …Like Clockwork is solid, with some moody moments throughout, but doesn’t fully stick with you. Regardless, it’s good to have Homme and company back and doing what they do best. The Queens will be back in Philly as part of the Made In Americafestival over Labor Day weekend.