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Perhaps Dave Grohl has grown tired of his efforts with Foo Fighters. Perhaps he longs for the dirtier days of Nirvana, when headbanging was half his job, next to drumming. But for whatever reason, Grohl has taken part in several heavier projects in recent years, including the experi-metal Probot and a stint behind the kit with Queens of the Stone Age.
Now, Grohl, along with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme and, of all people, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, has embarked on his latest supergroup venture, and the results are arguably darker than anything he's done since Kurt Cobain was still alive. And truly, "dark" describes Them Crooked Vultures, as each song seems spiraling in its own seedy pit of powerful guitars and grimy vocals.
Comparing this to Dave Grohl's past work is a tad misleading, however. The songwriting here seems significantly more influenced by Homme's style, the smirking swagger of songs such as the opening "No One Loves Me & Neither Do I" and the almost fear-inducing grittiness of songs such as "Warsaw or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up." Of course, it's impossible to discount the presence of Grohl or Jones, who are arguably the lifeblood of an album that could have turned into a one-man show.
You can hear the sweat drip on some of these tracks. The driving power of "New Fang" rolls over the listener and explodes. There are several songs wherein, without warning, the band just takes off, as though they simply throw caution, and a tempo, to the wind and dive in head first into every song. It may be a controlled chaos, but it adds a layer of mystery and rebellion to the whole recording.
Moments like these do the job of holding interest throughout an album that, in truth, many could find a bit tedious and repetitive.
It's not to say that the songs in question aren't good. As hard rock albums go, this is one of the year's strongest efforts. But it seems that Them Crooked Vultures are unable to reign themselves in when it might be necessary.
"Elephants" is a fantastic hard rock song; it thrusts and swings and, particularly in the chorus, is grandly captivating. But even the best things in life can be overdone. At seven minutes, a few variations on the original motif would have been nice, but instead the listener has to sit through the same parts basically on repeat for the entire length. It's definitely not for everyone, and certainly some listeners will grow impatient quickly.
The same problem exists pretty much throughout, with exceptions to those songs which seem a bit more radio-friendly, like the aforementioned "New Fang" and the punchy "Dead End Friends." Many of the songs follow a particular formula: Straightforward back beat, a chugging or screaming guitar riff, and droning vocals. There's some impressive soloing thrown in from time to time (as on "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)") for variety, but an inattentive listener will probably wonder whether there were actually 13 different songs on this album.
In the end, however, there's a lot to be praised here, and the album's merits are brilliantly summarized by the closing track, "Spinning In Daffodils." The song begins with a haunting piano solo, but the scratching of a guitar builds quickly, and finally the band drives the beauty away in a way that isn't cheesy or harsh, but rather provocative. From there, the band throws in every trick it knows: Layered vocals, lightning quick drum fills, stops and starts, tempo changes, guitar solos, keyboard loops, and a slow fade-out to a jangling funeral march.
In one song, Them Crooked Vultures have managed to piece together a perfect collage of their band's sounds. Them Crooked Vultures is a fairly typical hard rock band in many respects. But what makes them worthwhile are the unique personalities that make up their collective, a small band with a big sound and even bigger names. In this way, John Paul Jones is the perfect member to focus the band's efforts; after all, if Led Zeppelin had made it through the grunge era, the result would have been very close to Them Crooked Vultures.
Christian Hagen is a Reporter staff writer
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