Queens of the Stone Age

alr

Nothing but raw, heavy metal. Great songwriting and musicianship. I was very shocked to learn most of this album was played by one guy, it feels like a real band just jamming out. I think the “weaker” vocals work very well, it creates an interesting, contrasting sound. Very nice lead guitar work. Pretty great production, too. 4/5

3.5.

I have heard this record and multiple other Queens of the Stone Age records before, so I am biased on this one. Decent record. Parts that are pretty cool. But a lot of it is pretty musically simplistic, the songwriting is a little weak at times and the production is fine, but is missing something. Feels like a demo for what they would become. It’s weird that this is the album from this band that they chose. It’s very immature, but gives you an idea of where their sound is going to end up. I think they have far better records. 2.75/5.

A little boring? Not sure why this album over the much more popular and impactful one

alright

Not for me

Experimental and funky. Would try listening too again

Being a fan of Kyuss, I always thought of QOTSA as a lesser, watered down version of it. Let’s give it another chance and see. I mean, it’s less harsh and fuzzy and sunny than Kyuss. Anyhow let’s stop talking about other bands that are probably not in the list anyway. This is a cool album of catchy rock that sometimes veers into noisy jams. Pretty cool but not life changing. Was big for a moment in the early oughts. Three stars.

não curti tanto, mas gostei da vibe das musicas

It's a good album. A strong debut, though Josh Homme probably did between 5 and 3527 projects before this. The songs are strong and the playing is great... and that says something as Homme played every instrument other than the drums. I think QotSA have better albums, but this is a great one. A strong 4/5

Great Rock album. Reminds me of what the “typical teen” in 90s movies would be listening to in their room, and has aged well

very good

Gillar queens... Men denna skiva är inte lika bra som andra. Noterar dessutom att deras överlägset bästa skiva, songs for the death, inte är med. Det känns mycket märkligt.

Inte hört den här tidigare och den var väl inget mästerverk direkt, men de har ett sound jag gillar skarpt och jag tycker det är ett gediget hantverk rakt igenom. Stark trea på gränsen till fyra!

Not interested in this at all

I'd never given these guys a proper listen beyond the radio hits before. I really liked this one. I'm probably going to work my way through the rest of their albums.

start off decent, but drops off about halfway through for me, but better than I was expecting as I've only ever really liked a handful of QOTSA songs

Not their vest album but ooh still goood

I was disappointed by this one, I was looking forward to listening to more songs of QOTSA, but I felt I listened to the same thing the entire album.

I think this is pretty good for a debut album. It falls down in the extra tracks added for the reissue I was asked to review. I suspect the original release, without those tracks, would have been more coherent.

A QotSA album with none of their songs that are worth caring about. Parts of the first track made me think of Lavender Town which is perfect because after an hour of this you might wish you were attending a funeral for a Marowak instead.

Simply cook

Stoner rock album from the late 1990s. It's pretty generic, typical alternative rock from the end of that decade, quite boring overall, but it's well played nonetheless. I can't give this 3 stars because there are better 3 star albums than this and many 4 star albums are brilliant compared to this! So it gets a 2.

Don't see the hype.

Class

4.5

Quite a bit looser than on e.g., Songs for the Deaf, but what I perceived as a weakness at first turned out to be a strong point. Trademark QotSA moves are in place, but less overdone.

Pretty solid.

Achei bem básico, sem nenhum atrativo especial seja em melodias memoráveis ou qualquer outro elemento que surpreenda ou cative. Por vezes lembra Nirvana. Disco regular, mediano.

Rather entertaining rock music. The new LPs are better, but this one holds some magic.

Some of the droning guitar instrumentals were a bit long, but overall I actually kinda liked the cool mix of different sounds and styles throughout this album.

"The music is not in the notes but the silence between them".....in which case this album feels like it needs more room to make the overall sound less noisy/messy. Not a lot of range to the songs on this album (unlike later work)

wahrscheinlich eben nicht ein album der „besseren“ hälfte. sound OK, aber alles tönt gleich.

Das nenn ich mal ein gutes Album!

its a good start for them

Didn’t really stand out. Was good but that’s about it boss

Did not enjoy this. Not my thing.

This was refreshingly different. Really enjoyed their sound and as I kept listening, my rating went up and I'll give this a 5. I'll definitely revisit this

Dirty and gritty, but not quite as polished as the group will become.

Great album and band that I was pretty obsessed with in the mid 2000s. Some great tracks but a couple of misses

Are you sure this isn't late career Alice in Chains after they had run out of good song ideas and rebranded? That Rooster song is twice as good as all the songs on this album combined. Or it could be City and Colour trying to play rock music? Wait a moment...it is City and Colour, not Color...that can only mean one thing...that there is a chance the torturous experience of listening to Save your Scissors is uniquely Canadian? Go look it up, you will probably regret it.

I have listened to this a few times before. While not my favourite thing to listen to it’s not bad. A couple of tracks stand out somewhat and could make a 90s rock playlist. Not something I would revisit much though

This was not my band in the late 90s early 2000s and I’m still not a fan. It’s not bad. Just makes me irritated. I don’t enjoy it. 3 stars for nostalgia

I thought I would like this because I liked another one of their songs but I guess not .. don't get me wrong, there were good songs on this record but nothing really stood out

The sound is Great... but there are no hits i recognize and no new songs i can remember. Some of the instrumental noodelings can be a bit much. It is just the first album.

Listens 2.5 Standout Tracks: Walking on the Sidewalks, These Are the Droids You're Looking For This is a great album. It really bridges the gap between grunge and turn-of-the-century alternative rock. Reminds me a lot of Soundgarden. There's also hints of industrial rock on some of the tracks, so I guess Nine Inch Nails too. Perhaps even avant-garde in the ways they experiment with all the guitar distortions. Prior to listening to Queens of the Stone Age, I was always getting recommended them on YTM, probably because of my enjoyment of Audioslave, RATM, NIN, Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana, but for some reason I never indulged. Stupid of me to have avoided them for so long.

Queens’ first album is them at their ‘rawest’, given it’s essentially a two-man band, and as such is them at their least commercial. This makes for both a no-compromises heavy sound, but perhaps one that overstays its welcome. But my main point is that this band is addictive. Not so much as on Songs for the Deaf, but nonetheless, these songs get better every time. Especially Regular John, which is certainly in the running for their best song. If you don’t like ‘stoner rock’, do not engage further if the first track doesn’t please you. By the time you’re into the last few minutes of entrancing Walkin on the Sidewalks riff, you’re in too deep. The Queens have captured you. It is an odd choice for the 1001 list. Songs for the Deaf would be a no-brainer, and this might turn a few people off. For my own enjoyment, though, this is an essential listen, and I’d recommend it to anyone remotely interested in hard rock music.

Love

solid dad record

Good album. Straightforward power trio rock with some odd time signatures thrown in. Very enjoyable but nothing so special to deserve being called out as on of the 1001.

If I could give this negative stars I would

Þetta var alveg rosalega miðlungs. Ekkert sem að böggaði mig en ekkert sem greip mig heldur né sat eftir að hlustun lokinni.

Bara solid late 90s rokk. Langar smá að gefa þessu tvær stjörnur en það er eitthvað þarna sem hífir þetta upp.

Overall: 8/10 It amazes me that pretty much every single element of QotSA that we've grown to love was already there on their debut album. Of course, it makes sense considering Josh and Nick were already in Kyuss before, so it's not like they weren't experienced songwriters. There was definitely work to be done, and they would perfect this sound on their next couple albums (which should both be in this list by the way), but this is a very good debut and I come back to it often. Fav Song: You Can't Quit Me Baby

Some nice riffs, but way too repetitive.

A little too experimental for me at times but when it hits, it hits.

Hi Desert Stoner Rock - Genre is suckers game, but young JH did kinda pioneer a legitimate distinct subgenre. Fun, thought got better later.

Das Debüt entstand 1998 im Monkey-Studio in Palm Springs und zeigt die US-Band in einer klar strukturierten, trockenen Produktion. Stücke wie „Regular John“, „Avon“ oder „If Only“ setzen auf repetitive Gitarrenfiguren und einen ruhigen, stoischen Puls, der den frühen Charakter des Projekts prägt. Stilistisch bewegt sich das Album zwischen Alternative Rock und Stoner Rock, oft mit hypnotischer Wirkung. Insgesamt ein konzentrierter Einstieg, der die spätere Richtung bereits andeutet.

These guys rock and this is a great debut album.

Droning guitars and subtle hooks. Dripping in dark thematics while being moody and gritty. This could easily be background stoner rock but the magic rises to the top.

At first glance, this doesn't really seem like much. There's not real clear highlight/hit on the album, and the style isn't one that screams this must be heard by everyone. But as I've listened, I've come around on this album being included on this list. I still don't think it's like a really great album or anything, but I do think that it's a really subtly good album. Like if you actually listen, with an open mind, you'll be a little blown away at how good it is, despite the surface of the music seeming like generic rock. I'm not blown away by this album, and maybe multiple listen throughs of it would deepen the listening experience, but on a first listen through it gets a solid, "yeah that's good" from me. Favorite Song(s): Avon

7/10

I kind of hoped I’d be more into this, but my listening experience went steadily downhill in a linear fashion between the first minute and the last. Luckily it started pretty good.

Dip your toes in a little bit of sludge metal stoner rock. Go on. I dare you.

Okay

Solid sound, but a bit samey. Much prefer some of their other work.

It’s all just a bit luke warm

Songs for the deaf is probably a better album, but I've never heard their debut, so I'm excited. Off the bat, already love their energy, but they get more polished in later albums. Last few tracks felt too experimental for me and made my ears physically uncomfortable. 4* Highlights: walking on the sidewalks

Not my favorite type of music but can respect it. Couple songs that I liked. Thought I’d like it more than I did. Last couple songs almost dropped it to 1 star.

Got To Get You Into My Life Eleanor Rigby Here There and Everywhere

Great record, such an original sound and great songs

Not too bad, but a lot of the songs sounded similar with similar guitar sounds.

I don't get it.

Not my favourite record…but that guitar tone is so distinct and perfect.

Don't remember the last time I listened to this record. Definitely a banger. Gonna need to remember to spin this album more often.

Maybe not the best QOTSA record, but the one I enjoy listening to most.

nicht ganz so mein vibe leider aber für die leute dies mögen gut

Queens of the Stone Age have an unmistakable sound. Most of their music sounds almost identical, which is OK because I think they sound awesome! My fav album (and introduction to QOTSA) is 'Songs for the deaf'.

I'm really happy that this challenge is giving me the opportunity to revisit some prejudices I've had against bands - QOTSA is a good example. Teenage-me decided not to listen to Queens of the Stone Age or the Foo Fighters because in some weird way I felt like Dave Grohl should have still been mourning Kurt Cobain, like a widower who never remarries because they're lost their one true love. Instead he was floozying around with other bands and musicians who could never be as good as Nirvana! Obviously, in hindsight this is pretty unfair and dumb of previous me. Still, it checks out. Queens of the Stone Age hasn't got anything on Nirvana. I started out liking the alt rock feels of this album, but god, it just went on and on didn't it, and then there felt like there was some experimental sounds stuff, and I just wasn't feeling it, at all. Its a blah-3-stars I guess from me

Definitely not their best work

Great! Can’t believe I never listened before

Perplexing choice. Not because it's a bad album or anything, but it's generally agreed upon that Songs from the Deaf is Queens of the Stone Age's greatest album and has become an undisputed 00's Rock classic. This one, their debut, feels like exactly that, a debut. The signs are all here, but the band is clearly still figuring out their sound. Key tracks: Regular John Avon I Was a Teenage Hand Model

Solid rock which is ok by me. I wish it was more consistent, as this album had some great moments, with a few great hooks. I'll have to listen again. Liked Songs Added: Walking On The Sidewalks Mexicola You Can't Quit Me Baby

Thought this would be a more impactful album a bit under whelming

Hadnt bothered to listen to much of them before. Turns out that was a mistake. Really enjoyed this. Filthy bass!

I've seen QOTSA live and they're awesome. But much like the case with Foo Fighters I don't know why their debut album is on here when there's much stronger albums (Songs for the Deaf, Era Vulgaris) in their arsenal.

People around me who like the same type of music I do seem to love Queens of the Stone Age, but I have never really been a fan. There are a few tracks from their discography that I am quite fond of, but unfortunately none of them put in an appearance here. There isn't much unique about this album, but it's still good-just not something I will come back to often. Or maybe ever. 2.5/5, but I am rounding down. Favorite track: "Mexicola"

Thusbis a good aalbum, but honestly, not as great as Songs for the Deaf. Quite repetitive riffs and ideas, although it shows well the original sound of Queens of the stone age and the lyrics of Josh Home. 3/5 for their debut

Pretty solid album.

Classic album. Some really cool guitar riffs and I dig the melodies in their choruses. Some if it is a bit droney and hypnotic which I guess is what "stoner" means?

Good stoner rock.

Typical early QOTSA. Decent but nothing special

Is SFTD not on the list? What! Considering pedo Jackson has just popped up twice that is a crime

Not sure if this is true, but someone told me once Josh and cohort used to throw a generator and amps in the little truck, head to the desert, have an all-night jam. This album is for the desert what Allman Bros. was for the south, and vice-versa. Imaginary or not, that's what I hear. Head changing. Get stoned, get horny, get transported.

It got better as it went on until the headache-inducing cacophony at the end. I was fairly non-plussed for a lot of this but then it got stronger and more engaging.

Solid album. Strong rhythm section. ‘I Was a Teenage Hand Model’ would be an effective tool in enhanced interrogation.

As an avowed fan of this band, I avoided this album. I love the early albums, but the releases later in the catalog are my real faves. I was familiar with Kyuss (Homme's band before this) and didn't love that, so I presumed this wouldn't knock my socks off, and as it was only available as an import (or something, it was hard to find), I never bothered. So... here we are. It's what I expected. A concept-finding-life version of a great band. Cool to hear it, glad it's not impossible to get to, but never my first choice to serve up as THE must-listen QOTSA record.

It's cool, though their later ones are better. but there are some good stoner grooves on here. my son was digging it.

Does this band just ooze cool or what?! I was totally shocked to see that this came out in 1998 (I thought they were a 2010s band).

i liked some tracks (regular john, you would know, the bronze, spiders, teenage hand model) but others meh. skipped half of them. not really that fun.

Why not Songs For The Deaf?

1, la la lala la la 2. la lala la la3. la la lala.repeat.. c

This band is epically boring.

Jamming

I have a soft spot for this band, and I do enjoy listening to this album, so a four-star rating makes me happy.

Meh

Pleasant uncomplicated rock

Trying to be Nirvana and not succeeding.

A good album that could have been great if it was 2/3 the length. Maybe the instrumental noodlng can be justified as a necessary pré cursor to Songs for the Deaf. But it gets boring quickly.

Good - but gets repetitious for me

I really liked You Would Know. Several of the songs caught my attention and were jammin! I had heard of this band before, but not listened to an album. It definitely threw me back to high school. I am super disappointed there aren't any women in Queens of the Stone Age.

I underestimated how good their first album was. I was ready to give it a 4 but song after song is just great.

I was very skeptical of this one but it turned out to be pretty good

Not my favourite Queen's album but a very strong self titled

This band would go on to do much cooler things (songs for the deaf) neat start but not essential

I like this album a lot, great sound. I hate the typography on the cover. Some sort of shit free font from the 90s. Good album though. Sounds like Kyuss in places, which I like.

These guys were a fresh sound. I'm not sure the album holds together perfectly, and they benefit from a number of mediocrities before them in this random list, but four stars.

Not completely sold on the vocals, but the guitar and percussion were strong enough to merit 4-stars

cool album and impressive this is mostly just the one guy, but not my favorite QOTSA album

I have gotten to listen to many fantastic albums from this site, a lot of mediocre albums, and a few godawful ones. This falls into the latter category. The only track that was even remotely interesting to me was Spiders and Vinegaroons.

Lacks the refinement of Songs for the Deaf, falls short in my books.

Seems to start strong, but then nothing stayed with me. Might need another listen, but probably a 2.5 for me out of the gate. Bumping tho.

Great record - totally up my alley and well executed.

I’m not super into stoner rock, but I like this alright. The guitars are rad, and I can kind of settle into the groove of the record. Some of the songs go on a bit too long, but overall, it’s enjoyable enough. Im also surprised to learn that Queens of the Stone Age has existed since at least 1998. 3.7/5

Nine years before this album, Masters of Reality released their first album. I'd understand why that album would be on this list but not this one. QotSA are a cool band and have cool songs but a whole album of this music? Meh.

This is #day427 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I've always overlooked this band. Not sure why. I've been aware of their existence, but I've never felt the urge to dive in. I had a brief infatuation with stoner/desert rock about ten years ago (think Get Your Gun), and that was that. Now that I've heard this record, there's little that draws me back. This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day428.

Mage my head hurt

Another one that I wanted to enjoy more than I did but to be honest, I found it quite boring.

The most damning thing about this record is that I hadn't even clocked that I was halfway done with this until I went to check the tracklisting. It's all so one note and monotonous, but not in a way that allows you to lock in and just be taken along by it like a motorik rock record. Did enjoy You Can't Quit Me Baby, maybe they just needed to dial down the scuzzy sound a bit and let the music and vocals have a bit of room to breathe

I really liked this. Definitely could see the influence of Jack White and Josh Homme on each other

Sick stoner rock. I hope this isn't the only QotSA album on here.

not sure why this was chosen over songs for the deaf - it's still okay, but still... cmon

Kind of boring

Definitely not their best, but a fun record that is a bit of a transition from what Kyuss was into what queens of the stoneage would be. Enjoyable jammy, desert/stoner ROCK.

One of my favourites. Just lovely

It was okay, just ain’t for me.

classic but not a whole lot anything interesting.

Being familiar with later QOTSA stuff, I was underwhelmed at first. But when I got into my head that this was proper stoner rock and not like their later stuff, I enjoyed it a lot more That said, I feel like it takes itself too seriously

This album has the makings of a varsity athlete.

This feels pretty generic. Like, with my eyes closed I could assume this is Foo Fighters.

This is an obviously important album, but it doesn't fully click with me. Queens of the Stone Age don't really fit in with their contemporaries. They're harder than the Chili Peppers, but not as hard as actual metal bands. This makes their niche weirdly small. Anyway, I didn't hate the album, but it's not something I think I'll really revisit. Best Songs: Regular John, How to Handle a Rope, Mexicola Worst Songs: These Aren't the Droids..., Spiders and Vinegaroons

No

Background music...

I was a little later to Queens and I came to their debut after _Songs for the Deaf_ and _Rated R_. It's a much more raw album than either of those but no less punchy with Homme saying that he wanted to write "trance rock music". He succeeded of course and this, like all of the albums, are packed with primal grooves that seem somehow simultaneously tight and loose and all with that trademark guitar tone and 'drunken stumble' style of playing that 's unmistakably him and gives everything a realness and even live feeling. This isn't the Queens album I reach for most, I think there's much better quality on later albums but there is something here that keeps me coming back regularly and it's always a good time when I do.

I liked this more than i thought i would. a fair amount of instrumental tracks

This is a no-holds-barred assault. If you are in the mood it’s awesome. If not it’s a lot on the ears.

I don’t like the first five songs, they sound the same. Very simple stuff, repetitive swings that do not evolve at all. From the sixth track it becomes more interesting (the bronze). More surprising riffs, much more catchy melodies, and much richer arrangement. But overall this is not my favourite type of music. And the lead vocal is on the weaker side for me. Many tracks are not really interesting. If they can make the album shorter it’d be very different.

i do like me some QotSA, but i find that this album is still like a discovery album for them. Josh Homme i think really comes into himself, his weird choices, and his eccentric style as his career continues. this does feel a bit more "regular" compared to later QotSA albums. a fine listen, talent shines through, but it ultimately leaves me craving more of the sound that I am used to.

This album is sort of in my wheelhouse in terms of style. Every song was good and there was enough variety to keep me interested. I’m between a 3 and 4 here, but I think I’ll give it a 4 just because it was a solid piece of work and I could definitely see myself listening to it again.

Going back and listening to the debut album from Queens of the Stone Age was a lot of fun, and seeing the development of their sound from this album to what I'm most familiar with (Songs For The Deaf) was really interesting. I feel like the album is ahead of its time, not really sounding like it belongs in the late-80s but more in the mid-90s. A handful of songs were good, with others being above average, but I know there's better from this band so I'm sticking with a three.

Honestly, this was a really refreshing rock album after a bunch of duds on this list. I can't tell you a single song, but the whole album was a nice palate cleanser. The kind of album that your friends older brother would play while driving you around in his Pontiac Sunfire.

In the era of dying rock with trends of nu-metal, QOTSA come with the desert vibes to knock your socks off.

Interesting choice of album for QotSA. I love them, but definitely would have picked Songs For The Deaf. Still this is a very strong start as a debut album, and many of these tracks I had simply never heard. Also today I learned about the woman on the cover, Sylvia Bayo. Sex work in the 1970s sounds hard, no pun intended.

Oh brother. Wall to wall bangers. Also, Carlo Von Sexron is my D&D name. This isn’t for everybody. I can see how people might not love the repetition- but that’s part of the sound. This is music for robots to have sex to. It’s industrial in a very different way than any other band you would call “industrial.” And it’s metal- but- not at all like that. While I think Songs for the Deaf and Lullabies are superior, this record sets the template for QOTSA and was a breath of fresh air in the late 90s rock landscape. In short, Robot-boning is my business, and business is good. FOUR STARS

honestly i love this and its awesome butt rock to listen to with the windows down

Pretty standard head-banger stuff - better than a lot, but mostly tedious.

QOTSA are a desert island band for me.

Nice sound but I can't help but feel like something is missing. Whatever it is I wanted, the earrape in the end certainly wasn't it

Woooooow I love rock

3.2 2x

Not bad 3.5/5

Good rhythmic desert rock. The early stages of what would become their signature sound, this is yet to be refined but still surprisingly good for their first effort.

Not bad!

Isso é rock!! Pior que eu tava ouvindo Pantera e comentei que eu até gosto de hard rock, mas gosto de ouvir em alguns artistas específicos. Acho que o QOTSA é um deles. Esse álbum é bem cru, mas eu acho muito bom álbuns assim. Além de Regular John, Avon, If Only e You Would Know eu gosto muito de You Can't Quit Me Baby e Give the Mule What He Wants. Além disso, eu gosto de ouvir as músicas bonus, como The Bronze e Spiders and Vinegaroons

umas musicas legais, outras meio genéricas. mas ainda sim um bom album. 3,5.

Man, was I sad when Kyuss called it quits. But man, was I happy when Mr. Homme returned with that album. Fav: You Can't Quit Me Baby

Didn't really enjoy this but not awful enough for 1*

I like Regular John, the rest is very same-y.

Du rock intéressant sur le plan de la voix et du travail sur le rythme et des effets inattendus. On sent une recherche d'innovation

QOTSA MENTIONED 🔥 genuinely great album really cool sound

Surprised I didnt like this more. Compared to other QOTS albums, this one was much more rough around the edges, and the songs were a little repetitive. Not bad musically and instrumentation- you could tell the talent they had lurking. Overall- average. 2.5

Banger

Solid heavy metal but not my cup of tea.

*** Powerful guitar sound, however it gets a bit monotonous after 3 or 4 songs.

classic qotsa - you get what you came for, no less, no more.

I'm not sure I'll ever quite understand why so many people hold QotSA in such high regard. There is something about the sound / mix that never sits right with me and makes everything sound not quite so good as it could have. There are a couple of good tracks on this album but it's mostly unremarkable fare that goes on too long.

Fine.

More easy listening background stuff.

PERFECT ALBUM.

I've only ever heard "no one knows". I love that song, so this album was a treat. I appreciate the long instrumental sections. Great buzzy grunge sound.

A bit of a surprising inclusion on the list. It's a good album but very much the transitional bridge between the sludgy stoner rock of Kyuss and what would become the precision desert rock QOTSA groove found on Rated R, Songs for the Deaf and beyond; it's not _really_ the best example of either. Still, it's a solid debut, the minimalist single note riff of Regular John making somewhat of a statement, and it would kick off one of the most remarkably consistent and high-quality rock band discographies of the next 20 years.

pretty good/great

Oh yeah, now we're fuckin talkin. QOTSA has the singular power of making their listeners want to buy a Ducati and drive through an unrelenting desert...or maybe that's just me. But this debut is off the chain and leaves no question that Homme as a songwriter was a force to be reckoned with. Bonus points here for this being the first album cover that held my teenage attention longer than any television program I had ever seen...

Their debut is up there for me in terms of historical QOTSA listens (wild the next two records aren’t on this list), the band’s unique brand of stoner doom rock and roll invariably insisting I turn it up LOUD.

Fun. ★★★

What an opening track. You're immediately propelled into QOTSA's space. I've listened to this album many times so it's well trodden ground, but this still feels fresh nearly 30 years from release. I love how crunchy the guitar is. The last song is great, until it isn't and you are forced to either endure the awful noises or turn off the album.

getting through this album felt like trying to swim under water, it was way too repetitive

Good album to hear the first bits of this band figuring out their sound.

Oh cool, my like fifth or sixth favorite QOTSA album. This list is often lame. Rated R, Era Vulgaris, Songs for the Deaf…all like twice as good as this album.

There better be another Queens of the Stone Age album on this list because this one sucked and I know there are good QOTSA songs

Surprised how much i liked it decent 7

Hadn't listened to this album from QotSA before. But this first album of theirs shows what the band is famous for. Good, powerful rock with great riffs. Nice!

This album is great has fantastic sound with very detailed intricate parts, combined with a heavy, powerful rock sound. Only let down from five stars by a few bad tracks.

Mmmm albums like these make me lose faith in this list...Not by far best or most influantial QOTSA album...for me no place in this list...unless you make a 1001 stoner album list....

some bangers

Solid stoner rock. "How to Handle a Rope" slaps in particular.

Maan i loved this one. Didnt think id like it this much. Loved the bass sounds. I would think this is a 4 star album but in the end i just dont have anything bad to say ab it.

This has some really cool moments that show off the band’s unique rock sound, with heavy grooves and riffs that stand out. At the same time, a chunk of the record feels pretty one-note, and a few tracks don’t leave much of an impression after the fact. Still, it’s a solid album with flashes that I will probably revisit. Standouts: Regular John Avon

7/10

I like their sound but a bit samey. Don’t think this one deserved a spot.

I can't say it better than this random Redditor: "They suck. Their shit is buttock trying to be 10 different genres at the same time. At the end of the day it's boring ass shit."

Enjoyed, wish there was a decimal system because this was closer to a 4 star for me. A little repetitive but might need to relisten

holy riffage, batman

Meh, not as good as songs for the deaf. Later songs seem too long for what they are. Not too bad to listen to in the background though

First song sets the tone, and the rest of the album follows the same path from beginning to end.

Tungt, mörkt, inte jättekul.

QOTSA один з моїх найулюбленіших гуртів, тому рівень суб'єктивності ще вище ніж зазвичай. Вважаю цей альбом трохи недооціненим в контексті їх дискографії. Дуже багато топових рифів, в You Would Know один з моїх улюблених у гурту. Ще досить близький за настроєм до Kyuss, що теж йому додає балів. Далі вже баланс стоунер/альтернативного року потроху буде рухатися в сторону останнього.

Цікавий дебют загалом, хоча я б обрав для себе більш пізній період КВОТСА або songs for the deaf.

A rockin' good time. It's sort of the same rockin' good time, throughout, though, and I tend to like more range.

Blind album, huge fan of Songs for the Deaf. Im so glad I listened to this my god. Music to my ear holes, this was so cool and 10/10 makes me glad that I am finally seeing them live this year.

An album that answers the question "What if we just made the whole plane out of awesome riffs?" QOTSA is, in my view, the best hard rock band of the 21st century and one of my personal favorite acts. This album is a blueprint they would build on in the years to come, getting weirder and more diverse, and reaching much higher highs (esp. on Songs for the Deaf, ... Like Clockwork). They lyrics here never really pop, but that's not the point anyway. This is an album that meant to make you bob your head and air guitar, and it does that in spades. Best tracks: "Regular John," "If Only," "You Would Know," "Mexicola."

I'm not one for hard rock even though I like heavy music. It just reminds me of every lame stoner kid in high school and feels just as generic. This is a solid debut but so weird that Songs for the Deaf or ... Like Clockwork or not included instead. Nothing on this project rises above the genre in any meaningful manner.

Very cool Album. Unique sound.

Classic Rock

Hey I liked it. Better than a kick in the nuts

4/5 - Starts strong with Regular John and then never really lets up. As debuts go this is a great album. A lot of bands take a few albums to fully develop their sound but that’s definitely not the case with Queens of the Stone Age.

It was a bit same-y, but I liked it.

Decent. 3/5

cactus emoji

Amazing as always. The first 3 tracks set the tone for the whole band.

really solid but by the middle it seemed copy paste. at least the thing they’re copying and pasting is mildy interesting.

Got bored of it real fast. Too basic and monotone. I hate the freaky ass album cover too.

I really wanted to like this especially with the interesting experimental stuff in the latter half of the album but fuck I did not. I already didn’t like this style of riff heavy rock and this did not help. Also 1 hour is too long

Really not a great album if I'm honest

Not sure why never heard this, as have a couple of their albums. Enjoyed nuff said. 4 Star

It was ok as an album. Listenable, hard rock. I liked their later material better. It's probably not one I'm going to play again

I think QOTSA are easily one of the better high profile modern rock bands. When Songs for the Deaf came out I was a sophomore or so in high school, and songs like Go With The Flow and No One Knows were inescapable. 2013’s …Like Clockwork is a masterpiece in my mind. Oddly enough, I don’t think I’d ever listened to their debut album. It’s really quite good. When comparing it to their more polished sound on SFTD and LC, it reminds me a bit of comparing Meddle to Dark Side of The Moon and Wish You Were Here. It’s a stoner rock classic sound, if slightly flawed and unfocused it’s a great vibe and a sign of things to come. Opener Regular John is a banger and sounds most like their future sound.

Went to their concert a week ago, had a blast! I don't think this is their greatest work even tho it is pretty decent.

I think I'd heard this once before years ago and thought it was decent. But this time around it sounds much better. Like the late 90s grunge album nobody else was still doing at the time. I'm definitely going to go back to listen to this album in the future. A lot of solid tracks on here, and the album overall is pretty consistent. 4/5

Por fin un álbum de stoner rock. Personalmente, Queens of the Stone Age no me gustan tanto como Kyuss (su grupo raíz), pero aun así es un discazo. Guitarras distorsionadas sostenidas, un bajo predominante e igual de constante, voz melódica pero pensativa y atmósfera tranquila. Uno de mis estilos favoritos, aunque no hubiera elegido este álbum como representante del género. Además, como la mayoría de álbumes de este estilo, peca de ser demasiado largo y monótono. Le daría un tres, pero lo subo a cuatro porque, de alguna manera, suple la carencia de Kyuss en esta lista.

Pretty good stuff

This was undeniably good music

Nothing special. Another, “Why is this here?”

Maybe they should go back to the Stone Age

This sucked so much I’m surprised anyone let them make another album

Enjoyed the first half an hour or so, but then it got a bit samey. Too many instrumentals. Simpsons: No

I like some of their stuff unfortunately the songs I know and like aren't on here.

Started off strong but lost me after these aren't the droids you're looking for.

I actually like Rock, but this got pretty annoying.

Put it on a few times and did enjoy it. It didn't blow me away though, but might be worth putting it back on after a break.

Pas mon style (trop rock) mais un bon album avec des morceaux variés et pas désagréable à écouter

Josh Homme is a known to be a garbage human, but with that aside, my observation is… his voice doesn’t match the energy of the music. It rocks pretty hard, though.

Just could not get into this album. I like rock and guitar driven music, but this one left me saying, "So what?" after many songs. No real rockers that grabbed me. I feel like I should have liked it more given the band's wide fan base. Maybe later albums are better>

Solid 90s sweaty rock and roll. No complaints, but sometimes Josh Homme's stuff starts to sound kind of sameish after a while. I like this, but given a choice I'm fine with just listening to Kyuss. I want to give it 3.5 stars.

This is fun, if a little repetitive. Not sure this is one I'll revisit, but I do need to dig back into their discography.

Queens of the Stone Age are sophisticated grunge. They're up there with Soundgarden in my opinion. Great album.

Great album.

Wasn’t in the mood for this album, but I can still recognize its greatness. Saved for l8r

I would easily swap this out for Songs For The Deaf. That albums the real deal.

If it wasn't for several dud tunes and the rubbish lyrics, I would be giving this album five stars, because, in the main, I love the guitar work. but due to the aforementioned shortcomings, four stars is the best I can do.

This is the first time I've ever listened to QotSA consciously. I can't see the reason why it is on this list. The song structure is simple and, in most cases, nearly the same. It gets boring pretty fast, and the singing doesn't help, either. Bland, boring, repetitive.

5⭐️ cover art, 4⭐️ band name, 3+⭐️ music. Good classic hard rock.

I had never really checked these guys out. Total surprise!

Never listened to a QOTS album. To me it sounds like Soundgarden lost tapes. This isn't their best album (Songs for the Deaf) - why is it even on this list. Best Songs How to Handle a Rope (A Lesson in the Lariat)

I think this is my first time listening to Queens of the Stone Age’s first album. It’s awesome. Right out of the gate, they had their signature style of heavy metal and hard rock figured out. There’s lots of heavy, crunching riffs as well as Josh Homme’s soaring, dramatic vocals. In hindsight, taking their whole career into consideration, this album lays the foundation for their sound. But it absolutely rocks on its own terms too. On later albums, when their songwriting is even stronger and their range expands, they become a classic band — I would argue one of the absolute best of the 21st century — but as a first album, this is great jamming fun for sure! I lost track of how many times I grunted in satisfaction or said “hell yeah” to myself while listening to this.

I'm a huge QOTSA fan, but this is probably one of my least listened-to albums of theirs. It's great though, don't get me wrong! It reminds me very much of the great earlier Josh Homme band Kyuss, where this album is kind of a blend between that band and the more refined (discovered?) QOTSA sound. It's still got that droning driving stoner rock riff-heavy tracks that Kyuss had, and also some of the more hook-heavy moments that shine in QOTSA tracks. It's a great sound, but after going through it again it's just a bit too much of the droning Kyuss and not enough of QOTSA. That's totally ok, but I do question if this one should be on the list- even more so when this is the first QOTSA album on the list after ~900 albums listened.

One, six, two, seven, eight... Two, six, three, seven, eight, nine... Where's your record label, Pearl Jam? Josh Homme cuelga el teléfono en la primera mitad de los noventa mientras recuerda, con una nostalgia extraña, por qué se fue de Kyuss. Mira la carpeta en su compu que dice “Gamma Ray”. Como un recuerdo cíclico, repetitivamente denso pero con un pulso melódico e hipnótico. Una y otra vez. Una y otra vez, como granos de arena cayendo en un reloj. Los cuervos se enteraron del nombre del proyecto, así que se tuvieron que mover rapido para llegar a enterrarlo en un desierto que conocían como su propia casa. En la lápida, el epitafio: “Aquí yace The Queen of the Stone Age”. En medio del desierto, por falta de agua, todo se racionaliza. Las afinaciones bajan y la voz se vuelve más suave. Las canciones se reestructuran, los riffs empiezan a parecerse a espejismos de ecuaciones. Las que se volverán oasis en medio de las dunas son Regular John, If Only, You Can’t Quit Me Baby, Walkin’ on the Sidewalks y, por supuesto, Mexicola. Por las noches, cuando toque acampar, la construcción de Spiders and Vinegaroons será lo único que te arrope. Y al único que podemos culpar de eso es a Joe Barresi en la producción. Aguantá todas las noches que puedas, hasta que se vaya a molestar a la cuarta dimensión de Tool. El único ex Kyuss que también conocerá Loosegroove Records será Alfredo Hernández, para grabar unas baterías. El resto de los sonidos están casi todos ejecutados por Homme. Seco, sin reverberaciones, directo. Acá no te van a vender un espejismo: en este desierto, se sobrevive huyendo. Las arenas movedizas son las ironías y el humor negro entre las letras. Si te quedás quieto, es mejor. Mientras más te movés, más vas a pensar que son mensajes políticos o épicas racionalistas. Los críticos especializados, desde sus escritorios, anhelaron perderse en el desierto. Pero al ser un disco de culto, no suelen decirlo en voz alta. Desde sus escritorios están demasiado cómodos como para arriesgarse. Homme se abre camino dejando huellas hundidas en la arena, para que los que se pierdan sepan por qué sendero no hay clichés ni del metal ni del grunge. En tu primera experiencia en el desierto, hay que ser cerebral, refinado y cíclico. Entre las dunas, te sentirás contenido, pero en las desoladas noches, las arenas pedirán que cambies de piel y les dejes tu crudeza enterrada. El reinado del rock pesado es aristocrático, pero no olvida cómo usar una guillotina. La culpa del corazón de piedra son años de institución. Cuando la monarquía necesita afilarse y ser un mandato exitoso, Josh Homme se sienta en su despacho, juega con una púa entre los dedos, levanta el teléfono… y el riff cíclico vuelve a sonar como tono de espera: One, six, two, seven, eight... Two, six, three, seven, eight, nine...Where’s your record label, Pearl Jam? I want to be Rated R.

Not really for me.

There were a couple that caught my ear for a minute, but largely forgettable.

This is some pretty generic power chord middle of the road rock. It’s not bad. But it definitely did not standout as memorable. There were some interesting drum dynamics on songs, but the guitar work and vocal delivery is pretty bland. A band trying to be like other bands that are better.

I like this band and really like their guitar tones. But this is pretty clearly before they hit their stride and not sure this is a standout

Solid album but didn’t blow me away. I liked it but not sure there was a moment or song that would make me go higher on the rating.

I like Queens of the Stone Age but find them a bit...plodding. Kind of similar to my thoughts on Alice In Chains. Not sure if that makes sense, but that's how I feel and you should let me feel my feelings. Thx. 3.25/5

Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: 🩲📿🕵️‍♂️ Production: 🤘😎👊 Music: 🌵🥬🔥 Rating: 👑👑👑👑(👑)/5

Sounds a bit like Black Sabbath into the 90s. A solid effort but no tracks really stood out for me…but that rhythm section is very good. A weak 4

Solid rock record. This group certainly turned a lot of heads as they came about, and it's understandable why. Gritty, hard-hitting ensembles mixed with some lightly-distorted vocals and impactful transitions. This is a record that changed the course of rock and cemented itself as its own. Solid one.

This was just alright. Usually rock albums pump me up but the super long instrumental sections made me sleepy.

One of the best bands I've ever seen live, despite it having been in a massive arena. I prefer other albums but this is still a great listen - Homme's consistency is unbelievable. Rolled my eyes a bit at the cover, but it goes with the territory I guess.

What a pleasant surprise to see QOTSA represented in this list with their debut album. The intent on this album is clear, and it has has all of the hallmarks that would be more fully formed on later QOTSA albums. This is a fine album, with "Regular John" and "Mexicola" being stand-out tracks for me. I reviewed the 14 track version of this album rather than the 11 track original running order. 4⭐. That said, it's not the album I would pick to represent QOTSA in this list, that would be either "Songs For The Deaf" or "Rated R". If you are new to QOTSA I would start with "Rated R". Would I listen to this album again? - Yes. Would I buy this album? - I did 1 "Regular John" - What a great opening track. Very dramatic with a wall of guitars. It has that distinctive QOTSA sound from track one. - 5⭐ 2 "Avon" - 4⭐ 3 "If Only" - 3⭐ 4 "Walkin' on the Sidewalks" - The riff gets your attention. Vocally this is very good. Then it gets heavy. - 5⭐ 5 "You Would Know" - 3⭐ 6 The Bronze - 3⭐ 7 "How to Handle a Rope" - This has the QOTSA groove and then into a thrashy chorus. - 4⭐ 8 "Mexicola" - 5 ⭐ 9 "Hispanic Impressions" - 4⭐ 10 "You Can't Quit Me Baby" - 4⭐ 11 "These Aren’t the Droids You’re Looking For" - Great title. Off kilter riff, it deliberately jarrs. - 4⭐ 12 "Give the Mule What He Wants" - Nice bass introduction. - 4⭐ 13 "Spiders and Vinegaroons" - 4⭐ 14 "I Was a Teenage Hand Model" - 4⭐ Total - 56.00 Average - 4.00

An album with a lot of promise that really starts to fall apart by the end. Each song has the exact same intensity throughout each runtime - there's nothing dynamic or fluid with any of the tracks. Every song starts with a decent to solid hard rock riff, and never goes anywhere else. Maybe would feel less disappointed if each song has a minute or two shaved off their runtime to cut down on the repetitiveness. Top tracks: Regular John, Avon, Mexicola

No character, no split second sense of pop profundity, just a droned out mashup of Radiohead and Jane's Addiction: the bad philosophizing, the bad hard rock. It's not stoner rock - it's not even pointless pop - it's bland and entirely burnt out: I like stoners who're still getting something out of it. Besides, in '98, hip-hop was the thing: Big Pun's Capital Punishment, anyone? Worse than Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains: those guys are in a rut they're trying to escape; these braindeads are in a rut they think is a groove: 'Hispanic Impressions.' Some interesting instrumental moments towards the end, but mostly a yard-age of gar-bage.

Grungy, dirty, riff-driven hard rock. I like it. Didn't know much about this band until I heard Nobody Knows in Guitar Hero. Been a fan since. 3.45/5 stars. Should be a 3.5 but it got kind of lame near the end.

First time really listening to this band and album. Not my usual style but enjoyed the album.

Tough rate. I liked the instrumentals a lot; gave some grungey stoner rock vibes that I dug. However, I feel like a few of the songs could have been cut shorter. They just repeat the same line or instrumental measure over and over again. Some of the songs I liked a lot and some I couldn't wait to be over. I'd say I felt more of the former, though. A true rating would be 3.5, but I feel like this falls mostly in line with more albums that I've rated a 3 over a 4.

Every song felt like an eternity. Way too repetitive and boring for my taste. A couple tracks don't suck.

I really enjoyed the first half of the album but it started to lose steam pretty significantly about halfway through. Favorites: Regular John, You Would Know Least Favorite: Hispanic Impressions

I really like Queens of the Stone Age but have never explored their first album, mostly because I don't know but 1-2 songs on here and it felt like it was an album made before Josh Homme and the band really knew what they wanted to sound like. I still feel like my take is accurate. This is by no means a "bad" album but I think Rated R or Songs for the Deaf are better representations of their sound. This book tends to lean hard into a band's first album, unless you are the Talking Heads/Nick Drake/Elvis Costello/David Bowie in which case every note ever laid down is a "must-listen" album, so it's not surprising QOTSA have their debut self-titled in the book. I can't argue with the band needing to be in the book but I think if you are going to die then this may not be the QOTSA album you would want to hear before you do shake off this mortal coil. Regardless, more than half of this one is really good. It loses a point for not being the best QOTSA album though. Regular John Avon If Only You Would Know How to Handle a Rope Give the Mule What He Wants

I love the sound they make, but these tracks aren’t nearly as memorable or good as Songs for the Deaf.

Одновременно спокойный и жёсткий альбом с повторяющимися рифами и тягучим звуком

The debut from Queens of the Stone Age sees Josh Homme and co. (including fellow ex-Kyuss member, drummer Alfredo Hernández) trying to evolve their signature stoner rock sound after moving on from the legendary stoner rock band. Here, you can hear the early outlines of what would later be perfected on albums like Rated R, Songs for the Deaf, and ...Like Clockwork, but it's not quite there yet. Still, as you'd expect from a Josh Homme project, this album packs a punch and delivers riffs for days. The guitar lines are often repetitive and fairly simple, but still very memorable. That repetitive nature calls back to krautrock bands like Can (which Homme himself cited as an influence on this record), but it's blended here with the heaviness of stoner rock. The result is a sound that remains hypnotic, but is now sleeker and more refined. This album won’t wow you with its complexity, but it shines in its rawness and weight. It draws you in and makes you feel part of its world, much like Kyuss did. From the very first note, you’re teleported into the scorching heat of a California desert. While I like Homme as a vocalist, I do miss what the late Mark Lanegan would later bring to the table on subsequent records. The lyrics are serviceable. They’re not the star of the show, but they complement the music well. One lyrical standout is “How to Handle a Rope,” which features some clever lines laced with wit and dark humor. Overall highlights here are “Regular John,” “Mexicola,” “You Can’t Quit Me Baby,” and “If Only.” 3.5/5

I don’t really care for this type of music.

Day 9 First listen- I really liked the gritty guitar in the songs. The album felt quite long and boring at times though. I guess I will appreciate it more with repeated listening but for now its 2.5/5.

Successfully hits the spot.

I don’t need to listen to this again

There was a time in my life when I think this would have really appealed to me but nothing really stands out now. Lots of big crunchy guitar riffs, but no stand out songs imo.

🐣🤷‍♂️

So repetitive Worst Song:Hispanic Impressions Best Song: Avon, Mexicola Added to Liked Songs:

Otra huevada que se fue a la damier. Algo tendré que dar por su tiempo

It’s got Regular John on it, remember how good that was at Slane? It’s a v good QOTSA album which puts it above most guitar albums

This was a start towards something great but this isn’t yet great

After Kyuss broke up, I was very happy to hear Josh Homme continuing with Gamma Ray and eventually QotSA. While I was not totally happy with the direction they seemed to be heading, it was sort of audible on the Kyuss and Beaver split releases, but I only lost interest around the time "Lullabies to Paralyze" came out. I've been meaning to listen to the latter albums, but have failed to do so and atleast two albums I've left untouched all together. I do like this album tho and have it in my collection.

A pretty decent rock album.

Alright

Bitchin’ album! Unfortunately they should’ve stopped while they were ahead, but you’ve got to give credit to them for their initial run of perfect albums!

All in all, I like this one a lot. There was one throw-away song, and a couple of others that droned on for too long at the end, but this was still really good. This is one more band that I had heard of, but had never actually heard before. A pleasant surprise, and I give it 4 stars.

Fun. 4/5

I like this album. You can see how it is a crucial part of QOTSA developing their signature, sour and heavy sound. Many bangers and highlights throughout, a few average tracks but overall such a great debut Fav tracks - Regular John - Walkin on the Sidewalk - You Would Know - The Bronze - Mexicola - You Can’t Quit Me Baby - I Was a Teenage Hand Model Worst Tracks - Spiders and Vinegaroons

Cool to see where where Josh Homme started from. Nothing really stands out to me on this one like his later work, but its a pretty standard alt rock album from the era.

It was good. This record feels well-rounded. It sounded pretty good instrumentally, and the vocals weren't off-putting. Favourite Track(s): Give the Mule What He Wants Least Favourite Track(s): Hispanic Impression