Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme has confronted many demons for the reason that launch of the 2017 album “Villains”: most cancers, divorce, rehab and court docket battles. And the brand new Queens file, the just-released “In Times New Roman…,” positively provides weight to the band’s woozy, bluesy rock — a dour power far faraway from the dancier sound conjured by producer Mark Ronson on “Villains.”
“Roman,” self-produced by band founder Homme and one among his strongest QOTSA lineups ever, is likely one of the rawest and heaviest albums the band has delivered, and through Saturday’s Queens, New York cease of their “The End Is Nero Tour,” they proved that generally the brand new materials can be a stay standout, even because the band approaches its fourth decade of existence.
Backing Homme on “Roman” and the tour are longtime guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, who has been within the group since 2002, bassist Michael Shuman and keyboard participant Dean Fertita, who each joined in 2007, and ex-Mars Volta drumming phenom Jon Theodore. Part of the attraction of QOTSA’s music is their capacity to carry a decent grip on the rhythm of their stomping guitar anthems, and the band’s enjoying matches up powerfully with Theodore’s work behind the equipment. And being the drummer on this band is not any simple feat.
Ever since Homme’s good buddy Dave Grohl crammed in because the drummer on QOTSA’s signature 2002 album “Songs for the Deaf,” he inadvertently set expectations sky-high for the position. After all, Grohl’s highest-profile return to the equipment since Nirvana and early Foo Fighters albums was explosive, and his performances on tracks like “A Song for the Dead” are frequently carried out by drummers on TikTok to show their chops.
Theodore is the second post-Grohl drummer within the band, and whereas his fashion with the proggy Mars Volta was maximalist, he lives within the pocket for Homme’s extra simple songwriting, harnessing the facility and drive to depart even the drunkest bro within the crowd dancing at Forest Hills Stadium.
And dance they did, as Homme possesses the twin present of not solely writing crunchy riffs however sensible pop hooks, and main singalongs with generally deceptively candy vocals. About a 3rd of the setlist consisted of “Roman” songs, together with standouts just like the dirty chords of first single “Emotion Sickness,” a kiss-off to an ex with a refrain that includes clean ’70s radio harmonies and slide guitar; Homme’s low-register vocals on the riffy, death-confronting “Carnavoyeur”; and the start-and-stop flash of “Paper Machete,” which remembers their earlier work supplemented by a wall of guitar drone. The band’s depth and drive throughout the brand new stuff locked the group in simply as intensely because the outdated hits, which speaks nicely to the shelf lifetime of “Roman.”
Beyond new materials, QOTSA crammed their setlist with songs from “Deaf,” their 2013 fan-favorite “…Like Clockwork” and a handful of different hits. The group blazed by way of this well-worn materials, protecting the groove rolling alongside on rock chart risers like “No One Knows,” “Little Sister” and “The Way You Used to Do” and deeper cuts like “If I Had a Tail” and the psychedelic “Better Living Through Chemistry.”
Beyond their musicianship, the band’s stage antics created as a lot as to take a look at because the dramatic lighting rigs. For the primary stretch, the fellows had been all enterprise, headbanging and throwing guitars round, perfecting rock star swagger. But as their set went on they loosened up, permitting for some nice squealing guitar solos, crowd participation like in an prolonged “Make It Wit Chu,” and loads of room for Homme’s genial stage banter, frequently encouraging the viewers to bop and screw in equal measure.
At this level in his profession, Homme’s largest challenge enjoying stay is his catalogue is simply too constant and deep. The hits should be performed, however followers can solely dream of a sweaty membership night time full of outdated songs and B-sides. But as one of many few bands nonetheless carrying the torch of hard-living rock ‘n’ roll, it’s laborious to think about asking any extra from Queens of the Stone Age.
