It's often a worrying sign when the liner notes on an album give a long list of collaborators, particularly when it's a band with the repute of Queens of the Stone Age. Yet despite the addition of Trent Reznor, Alex Turner and Elton John (!), the proverbial broth remains unspoiled on the Californians' sixth album. Josh Homme's role as ringleader is never in doubt, whether he's driving I Sat By the Ocean 's strident rock canter or the peculiar piano balladry of both the title track and The Vampyre of Time and Memory. A generous smattering of heavy-duty riffs sates the appetite for rock, Homme effortlessly modulating his voice to suit each song's tone. All in all, this is QOTSA's most interesting album in years.
qotsa.com
Download: I Sat By the Ocean, My God Is the Sun