Reviews (page 5 of 10)
Has a very Detroit Garage Rock vibe to it. Vocals are in a higher range than I would have expected when compared to QotSA's later albums. Songs are definitely samey, and as a result the whole, very long album tends to blur together at about the halfway point. Songs are good, though, and the riffs generally kick ass. Second half of the album tends to be a bit more eclectic than the first half. More psychedelia and other styles to round out the Garage Rock base. All-in-all I enjoyed the second half more than the first half, love the band's unique take on Garage Rock, and would revisit on occasion but only rarely.
Some interesting stuff that I will need to listen to more to fully digest, but I enjoy the vibe. 3.5/5
++: Regular John, Walkin' on the Sidewalks, Mexicola, Hispanic Impressions, You Can't Quit Me Baby +: If Only, How to Handle a Rope +-: Avon, You Would Know, Give the Mule What He Wants, I Was a Teenage Hand Model 7,0/10
Queens of the Stone Age are one of my favorite bands, but this is not a very good choice to be their one representation on this list. It's not a bad album, but you can tell it's their debut. They certainly have the vibe down from the beginning, which is not very surprising, given that Josh Homme was already an experienced musician when they made this album. It's a lot of heavy guitars, pummeling drums, and a slow, methodical pace. This is a style that I find it very easy to be immersed in, and that's enough for me to say that this album is at least good. Unfortunately, Homme had not quite developed his songwriting skills yet. The structures of the songs get very repetitive, with a few notable exceptions such as How to Handle a Rope and You Can't Quit Me Baby, making this relatively short album feel a lot longer than it is. Furthermore, there are very few interesting melodic ideas or strong lyrics, which are two of the things that made this band stand out from the pack on later releases. Like I said, this is still a good album, and QOTSA definitely deserves to be here, but I wish they had gone with Songs for the Deaf or Rated R instead.
It was good but a lot of it was pretty mundane. Rounding down from a 3.5.
Just a very one note album, where every song sounds the same.
Das einzige Album dieser Band in der Liste. Das halte ich für großen Quatsch. "R" oder "...Like Clockwork" hätten es verdient, "Songs For The Dead" finde ich überbewertet.
I feel like nothing happened. Is that good or bad? Who knows?
This is the first time I’d listen to a whole QOTSA album. I know their songs, they’ve got a great band and some great tracks. There’s some eclectic tracks on here, and it’s good, hoping we can track some more of them through the list.
Regular John opens the album up with a bang, I love the super dry and harsh guitar tone that drives these epic riffs. The chorus slaps so hard as well. Then Avon and If Only pick up the pace with more nasty riffs that sound like they were recorded on a dessert. The rest of the album continues in a similar direction, but unfortunately without leaving the same impact. The song just feel a lot less dynamic, occasionally a bit clunky. With the exception of Mexicanola, that song is a banger. I wish this record was a bit less one dimensional and the songs felt heavier rather than more droning. However, it's a solid groundwork for the band that they but on succesfully afterwards.
The instrumental tracks were pretty cool, other than that it was kinda flat.
I was not aware QOTSA even had an album, let alone two, before Songs for the Deaf. This started off strong but majorly lost steam midway through.
Cool texture, danceable, too long and clearly a debut though.
These guys always bring it, this is a great debut, and Homme is a rock solid guitarist. That said, these songs get repetitive and, lyrically, there's not a whole lot there. They put you into that good trance state and they got better and more interesting with each successive release.
This is closer to standard rock than I had expected it'd be, though it's clear the band was flirting with more avant-garde stuff throughout the album.
3.5/5
i liked it.
Falls into proverbial catagory of a glad I listened and exposed to but not an alblum that I would not go out of my way to lusten to again
Ok but didn't blow me away
Nirvana vibes
Surprised Rated R isn’t the Queens of the Stone Age lp or n here. But The compiler does love self-titled American debuts by middle of the road rockers. Josh Homme may now be remembered best as the aresehole who ruined the Arctic Monkeys but he briefly was the great hope of alternative music when he performed Feel Good Hit of The Summer but the good feelings didn’t last and it turned out he had limited talent and fewer ideas. So he went the collaboration route. This is the album before the hit but I bought it in the wake of Feel Good …. I thought it pretty boring and derivative and never listen to it again. Listening now it’s ok corporate rock.
Heavy, sticky, syrupy even. Very meat and potatoes rock, simple yet gets the job done. Great drumming as always from Grohl, and despite his personal misgivings of being a terrible person Josh Homme does sing well. So there's that.
Expected Queens of the Stone Age to be sucktastic but this is a strong album. Nothing stands out to me, but it’s a great listen
Nothing that strong to say
Even though QOTSA should be right up my street, I always felt like there was something missing. I've never been able to figure out what, but they've never quite clicked for me
I'd always overlooked this QOTSA album, favoring Songs for the Deaf, Era Vulgaris, and Like Clockwork. Giving this one an intentional listen gave me an appreciation of how Josh really developed the band's sound right from the start. Decently solid album.
Good shit, QOTSA had their sound dialled in from the start. Some bangers but a lotta fluff too
3,5
Enjoyed sonic contrasts!
I love a number of the more recent QOTSA albums, but had never listened to this one, their debut. It's another case of band getting better as they develop which leaves me feeling a little disappointed with this effort. I'll persevere and it's encouraged me to catch up on their latest album.
#1041. It's not that this is bad, it's just that every time I listen to a Queens of the Stone Age album that isn't Songs for the Deaf, I actually just wish that I was listening to Songs for the Deaf. 3/5: sigh
Not really sure why this album is on the list but not songs for the deaf? This is good but songs for the deaf is wayyy better
Yeah kinda mid next their other album
Leuk dat ze hun eigen sound al hebben hier. Wel wat langdradig
Nothing to write home about here, prettyaverage Rock music. 3 stars or C-.
Not entirely clear which version I would rate and I only listened to the newer one that added two of the better songs at the end. This is unready and without those songs it would be probably be a 2, those two lift them a bit
(7) Solid debut
Dark and brooding, exactly what you expect from QotSA. Good riffs throughout.
Still can't tell if I love or hate this band. They have bangers, then they follow up with weird garbage. They did get better with time. But this album? I guess I'll put it as just average.
# Album Name: Queens of the Stone Age # Artist: Queens of the Stone Age # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Very average album. Not sure why its on. I assume the album with go with the flo is somewhere?! # Top Tunes: if only / How to handle a rope # Would I listen to it again? No
Love this album
It's not bad. The earlier songs are better. As the album progresses, though, some of the songs get repetitive and stuck in a rut.
Ok
It was alright, 2.7
First off, big miss to not have "Songs for the Deaf" on this list. I hadn't heard much of QOTSA's debut album before today to be honest. The pieces are there when comparing to what the group would later produce, though. Sludgy/crunchy guitars and grooves: evocative of the stoner and desert rock scenes that the group helped popularize. Having already heard the albums that would follow sort of lessened the impact of this one to be honest though. The polish just wasn't there quite yet. Wouldn't have been my pick to represent the group, but I guess it was one of the first big stoner rock albums.
Not entirely bad, but definitely thought it would've been better.
It was worth a listen, but I'll probably skip listening to it again.
6/10
I didn’t hate it. The instrumental sections were more interesting than the songs
Notable Textzeile: Mule want it, mule want it someday He'll eat it, he'll eat it one day How long, long, long Do I wait, wait? Be the mule that you gotta be, yeah Ja, das ist sehr stumpf. Ja, das ist unverkennbar. Ja, da ist im Ansatz etwas radikales, im Sound auch. Aber es ist noch nicht ausentwickelt. Es ist zu repetetiv und eintönig. Wird noch was draus, ist aber so wie es ist eher mittelmaß.
some rock and roll music for my saturday afternoon
Alright.
Okay, I like that Like Clockwork is in the book, but why this? Like if you're going to pick 2 QOTSA albums, wouldn't it make more sense to have Songs for the Deaf? Even Rated R would make more sense. This album is still pretty good though, I'll give it a very high 3
Formed from the ashes of the stoner rock giant Kyuss, QOTSA was formed by that former band's guitarist Josh Homme. This was his first attempt at fronting a band, and for a first outing, it's not too bad actually. Sure, Homme's voice needs some work, (the subsequent albums would see him develop his instrument much more) and there's certainly a few songs that could benefit from a little more time in the oven, but the potential is already quite apparent on this debut release. The songs mostly involve some classic hard rock riffing mixed with Josh Homme's soft, undeveloped tenor, and the 2 mix surprisingly well. I can't really compare it to much except later Queens releases. I will say, however, the songwriting gets kind of repetitive as the tracklist cycles between slow and bassy Sabbath worshipping riffs to the more standard ZZ-Top meets a fuzz pedal hard rock. Homme's own vocal lines leave something to be desired as well as he mostly does the weird jumping-intervals thing for every hook. Listen to this if you want to marathon Queens of the Stone Age's discography: for this sound perfected, check out the followup, Rated R. Key Tracks: Regular John, If Only, Walkin on the Sidewalks, Mexicola
3,5
1998. Probably the closest I ever came to having indie rock street cred. I was 17 of course and in high school and green as hell. I even applied to be the music director of our high school radio station. We had a 100 watt transmitter on the roof of the school. The broadcast radius was about 3 miles, IIRC, and most of that was out into Lake Michigan (I didn't get the gig, but I was a DJ for four years). Apparently the transmitter was originally installed to be able to transmit homework assignments to students who were home sick. Diabolical. Anyway, around that time I also started a record label with a friend of mine. Why did we decide to do that? I don't remember. I was in charge of creating the website and graphics; which, I must say, looked pretty good to me. I probably have the files backed up on a Zip disk somewhere. Anyway, this QOTSA album sounds like something that would have been submitted to our record label. Sadly, that first split 7-inch never was released, nor was it recorded. We never did any business at all, as a matter of fact. But we did get some people to send us demo tapes. My buddy, co-partner, and head of A&R, hated all of them.
Типовий рок тих часів, нічого особливого, 2,5
The first track has an insane intro. The rest is actually quite good.
2,6 Highlights: Regular John, Avon
I'm basic and go to Songs for the Deaf, but this is pretty good, too. I listened to the expanded edition, knowing I wouldn't really object to the extra material. It did kick off my day and inspire me to listen to fuzzy rock stuff for hours.
I know Songs For The Deaf well (liked it a lot and played it many times), but never listened to any other QOTSA album. (I wasn't looking for extra of that type of rock.) I was hoping this debut album might be good, I was disappointed. It's got kernels of things that could be good, but it doesn't have the polish, tightness or vibes (including good humour) of SFTD. There are some songs here that are good in parts but are let down by indulgent opening or ending, also some jams that just seem turgid. Much 'experimental' rather than well-constructed. Lyrics are more creepy than interesting, offputting with the cranked-up psycho side of stoner rock. So I'm surprised this album is in the book but not any other QOTSA album. I can see this album has fans, but for me, it's Mix of Good and Bad, 5/10. (Also, I am put off by the cover - I wouldn't have this 'pin-up' on my wall and strongly question the marketing of raunchy rock album with this image.)
Very solid, deserty rock album. High 3s.
61/100
It was OK and I like their other album with Dave G but I didn't really get this one
Not bad but a bit too experimental in places for me.
Actually quite a few good songs on here but there were some duds. Overall pretty enjoyable
Meilleur que leurs autres albums, à réécouter la chanson suicide sinon un peu long et répétitif
It's a good starting point for them, but not as good as their next few albums
3,4/5
I always find QOTSA a bit boring - it's hard/heavy enough but the riffs always seem phoned in, lots of simple rhythms and predictable melody-wise. And this middle-of-the-road genre thats a bit indie, a bit metal, a bit bluesy, a bit garagey, a bit grungey, but nothing overwhelmingly Later instrumental tracks are more interesting! Best track - You Would Know, Mexicola, Spiders and Vingeroons 3 stars - but 2nd side is somewhat interesting
Solid rock album
QOTSA und ich sind so ein Ding. sie haben es in meiner Sicht geschafft genau ein 6/5 Sterne Album zu schreiben und ein 5/5, der ganze Rest ist für mich sehr hit und miss, aber das fairerweise auf jedem Album. Also es gibt überall Songs die mich nerven oder langweilen aber auch auf jedem ein paar meiner QOTSA Hits. Nun auf diesem hier ist die Hit dichte nicht ganz so hoch für mich persönlich, trotzdem macht das Spaß zu hören und weniger als 3 fühlt sich dann doch falsch an, dafür ist es zu gut.
* 65 Der er nogle gode øjeblikke, men det blev også nogle gange lidt for meget 'murica beer commercial rock.
En smule generisk. Jeg er nok lidt for gavmild her 2.8
It's a deliciously sludgy album. It gets a bit robotically repetitive towards the end of the album. I couldn't tell you a single thing any song is about, though. None of it resonated or stuck with me. It's good, and I'd listen to it again, but on the second listen through, nothing has it's hooks in me. My Rating: 3/5
They have one incredible song and it’s not on this album
3½
not bad, some nice hits in it.
Queens of the Stone Age seems like a band my Dad totally would have raised me on, and yet I have had next to no experience with this group up until maybe a year or two ago. Listening to QOTSA's music, at least on this project, gives off such a sandy desert vibe as well as being just soft enough to qualify as Rock music despite it walking a fine line towards something like Stoner Metal. The guitar parts are really where this project shines bright as it provides something of a heart beat for this album to chug along to for the duration of the 46 minute runtime. I can't lie, it is a debut album and not every song here is something incredible. I think this album shows what QOSTA could turn into with a bit more fine tuning, but as far as a debut album goes this really isn't as bad as it could have been. Definitely not a classic by any means, but it is something!
3/5. Queens of the Stone Age are one my favorite rock bands, which is why I must say it’s completely baffling that this is the only album of theirs in the 1,001 albums book. No Songs for the Deaf, Like Clockwork or Rated R, just the self titled debut. And it is a good album on the whole, but nowhere near the level of most other QOTSA albums in my opinion. Which is again to not say the self titled debut here is a bad album, there’s a good number of highlights like “You Would Know”, “Mexicola” or the opener “Regular John.” But on the whole it’s a debut where the band is still finding their footing and in retrospect you can see how much more fully formed and confident the band feels on Rated R compared to this.
Highlights: Regular John, If Only, Walkin on the Sidewalks, You Would Know, How to Handle a Rope, Mexicola, You Can't Quit Me Baby, Spiders and Vinegaroons I liked a decent number of tracks, but I'd be lying if I said it was easy to go through this record. There was just something crazy boring about it. Not my favorite record of theirs. Their stoner hard rock sound is dope, but there's just something more "fun" about Rated R or SFTD and their more messy nature. On this one though, there are a lot of songs that have repetitive segments and I didn't hear a lot of variation in general. However, they did get a bit more playful at the end. I didn't pay much mind to the lyrics, but I got the general idea.
Já vi esses caras ao vivo, mas naquela vibe de "acaba logo que quero ver a banda que eu vim pra ver." Mas veremos, tem uma galera que é fã. Parece músicas de Guitar Hero. São boas, mas nada me chamou atenção, parece genérico. Que desgraçado esse final do álbum, achei que ia fazer uma lavagem cerebral em mim.
I don't like Queens, but I did like this album!
This was higher quality than I expected - straight ahead hard rock. Having said that, nothing that particularly distinguishes it.
The Good: Josh H with the QOTSA The Bad: It’s not Songs for the Deaf… The Ugly: The jams on this thing… I don’t know… I am conflicted… I really want to like this, and there are tracks on this album which really resonate for me. Yet, there are other tracks where I am oh so close to pushing the FF button and just head into the next car-wreck… Great guitar tones though, that’s for sure… Just missing that Dave Grohl beat… Going to rate this one down the middle… 3*
Surprisingly good, if not super-impressive. Totally listenable. A 3.
Ok, but nothing special
Alle de her moralske kvalan, ikke visste æ at dem skulle følge med 1001 album. Musikken va helt ok, æ sørge over mitt tapte ungdomscrush i Josh Homme, men føkk menn som ikke kan oppføre sæ.
2,5
I've never heard a QOTSA album, only the big singles. They've never appealed much, as I'm just not interested in Josh Homme's voice – it sort of slides over my ears without making much of an impression. Here he sounds a bit like a worse Chris Cornell, whose voice (sacrilegiously, I know) I'm not crazy about either. This album didn't do much to change my mind on the band, though it passed time pleasantly enough. There are some good sludgy riffs, and fair play to Homme for doing two or three guys' worth of work on the instruments, but I'm not sure why this was chosen over an album with some hits on it.
For the last few years I have attended a local “blues” festival which despite the name has bands few of which actually play any blues music. I would estimate that 60% of the bands playing over the days sound very similar to this group. Nothing objectionable to this but after hearing 1 or 2 songs from any of them we move on to the next band. Not ever having listened to QotSA other than the odd track on the radio, I don’t recognise or remember any of these songs. The album was my sort of music though and if it had been released about 20 years earlier, I may have enjoyed and get hooked. Not sure I am going to search proactively for any more of this now but will happily give a listen to any others that come my way. Most of this sounds a little too much like generic pub rock of years gone by. Competent enough musically but no original/unique spark to warrant investigating more at this stage. The last track was certainly different and weird however!
Very nice grunge guitar. But nothing stunning, that makes me stand up and pay attention. 3.5/5
Kinda forgettable but I didn’t actively dislike it
So much of this debit album points to what made QOTS great in the albums that followed. It's raw, punchy & full of contained aggression that hits you like a fist. This album though does feel a bit less polished than some of their other material, like a rough diamond that’s still rough around the edges. The songwriting is so basic at points and some of the tracks fall flat for me, offering very little in the way of variety. It's still a fun listen but for me not even close to some of their more mature work.
Fine. Borderline boring. Too long. Adjacent to and inspired by some stuff I like. Overall, it made me want to listen to MC5 and The Stooges.
Fun enough for what it is, sure.
Kind of bland. Too long. But, at times, pretty cool. A solid 3.
Sludgy with some killer riffs, but weighed down by dated, ‘90s keening male vocals.
Nice abrasive and melodic rock. Sexy, groovy and seductive.
Better than I was expecting given I don’t hear very much about this one compared to SFTD and LC…
PLACEHOLDER
I want to like this one more than I do. Drones on at times. Solid 3 but can't click to 4
Good album, overall. Not as much musical and tonal variety as they'd develop on later albums, and just a bit long here, but you can do WAY worse in late 90s rock, and not a whole lot better.
Gritty, grungy, slightly psychedelic rock that's a little rough around the edges and samey throughout, but is solid enough for a listen.
RATING: 7/10 HIGHLIGHT: Mexicola LOWLIGHT: I Was a Teenage Hand Model
"Self-Titled" is a bit of a letdown for a band that would go on to make a great album called "Songs of the Deaf". It's still better than the last two albums I listened to. Unfortunately, "Self-Titled" suffers from repetition in its songs. I love stoner rock and metal, so that doesn't bother me too much. For some reason, there's a short outro that's louder than the rest of the album. 3 stars for "Self-Titled".
Decent late 90s heavy rock, but never quite got into them, though enjoyed some of the Mark Lanegan era stuff. Some I liked more than I remembered, some passed me by.
Pretty basic, generic rock and roll. Nothing really jumps out, but it's certainly easy and enjoyable.
Queens of the Stone Age are a band I only know by name, but I live in a house with a fervent fan who assures me that this is the least of their albums and they only get better. Mind you, this has some cracking rock and roll tracks, familiar enough to feel comfortable, but with enough tricks and complexity to be interesting. As a starting point this is fine. I'm looking forward to see what they got up to next.
Nice
Fine enough just kinda rock tbh
Opens like a band of mosquitoes covering the Stooges, and doesn’t improve
Just another rock album.
Tää on tämmöstä EA NHL musaa koko levy, mutta ei huonolla tavalla. vois olla paskempaakin
Mukavaa jytäähän tää on. Vähän epätasanen kokonaisuus ja varmaan sitten se punanen levynkansi on syystäkin suosituin. Toki tässä viehättää alkukantasuuskin.
Tää oli paikkapaikoin oikein hyvää menoa. Kerran piti tarkistaa että onko levy jo vaihtunut kun laulaja kuulosti ihan Chris Cornellilta. Ehkä vähän liian samankaltaisia keskenään suurin osa biiseistä. Joka tapauksessa ihan jees, en ollut näiltä kuullut kun sen levyn biisejä missä on No One Knows.
I saw these guys in concert open for someone. This is better than i expected. Hard with some originality. Little repetitive.
First time listen to the first QotSA album. It's solid Hard Rock. Could have done without the instrumentals. It isn't mid blowing stuff and far from their best work. Songs For The Deaf is a superior album. 3/5.
Some good riffs and potential but too experimental second half. 6/10
Really interesting, tried some cool things
It's all right.
Well, that was a little disappointing. By their reputation, and having heard "Lullabies...", I was expecting something more consistent. Instead, some good modern southern rock, but a lot of noodling and meanderings. I'm not hearing any reason to give it a third listen. They would go on to produce much better.
It's a good rock album, though I find that many of the songs sound similar—but it was fun to listen to.
3.5
This is not a band I have listened to other than hearing singles on the radio. This is the first band that I have a slightly negative view towards since starting this journey. It may be a slog. I ended up stopping a few times while listening. I get the repetition; I love some types of electronic body music. I can even get into drone or shoegaze. Having said that, there are a few notables by the time I finish this. The context that I have for this is that it is somewhere along the continuum of Led Zeppelin (cock or stoner rock) to modern psych rock (Warmduscher). I should like them but find that this album has a lot of connective tissue that is too gristly for me. It is a good steak cooked poorly. "If Only" - okay, this one catches my ear a bit. The one-two of "These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For" and "Spiders and Vinegaroons" feel like an update of Led Zeppelin. Unfortunately, not enough of this type on this record for me to go back to as an album. Maybe not enough meat on it. There are definitely the germs of an idea but maybe not fully formed. "Spiders and Vinegaroons". A little bit of experimentation here. But it got me thinking... A night time around a firepit with booze and smokes. Soft chatter and snicks of sparks shooting into the dark. A few folks are outside the circle, the day's warmth coming off there swim suit clad bodies, are dancing. Hands about their heads; beer in one hand and a cig in the other. Sparks falling. The kaleidoscope effect of flickering flame and rising heat as the night gets colder shapes the dancing figures into more expressive shadows. Nothing to note that summer won't last forever. Just the knowledge that we are here in the perpetual Saturday night of a summer long weekend. If it wasn't for grunge, maybe these folks would have become the torch bearer for rock. Instead, they become an alternative history that occasionally gets revisited. I would give them a 2.5 but since we need to round, they get a 3.
Liked this more than I expected!
Good but I don't understand why it's on here over songs for the deaf
Queens Of The Stone Age are one of my favourite bands of all time, but this album has just never really clicked with me. In fact, the first time I heard it (which was actually introduction to the band) I thought it was one of the worst things I have ever heard. I've come to appreciate it a bit more since then, but I would still comfortably call it my least favourite Qotsa album. I still can't deny how much random noise there is especially during the second half, and while the songs that are just normal songs are perfectly good, it doesn't even come close to other of their albums like Songs For The Deaf, Lullabies To Paralyse, or Like Clockwork. This is kind of just a perfectly listenable but somewhat generic stoner rock album, so how this was chosen as the ONLY Qotsa album above their many other genre defining classic is insane. But they are one of many examples of this on this list I suppose....
Ehh alright
On one hand, this is probably the worst QotSA album. On the other, it’s still QotSA.
Love QOTSA but didn’t love this. Just liked it a lot. Regular John was a great start and the final two songs were a great end. The middle of the album was fairly forgettable and would rather listen to any other QOTSA album
I really like later records by QotSA (Songs for the Deaf, Era Vulgaris, ...Like Clockwork (their best, imo)). This one was ok. They hadn't fully developed a personality at this point so the songs felt a little lifeless. Better than other albums on this list but leaves a bit to be desired. 3/5
Я люблю цей альбом. Це не настільки експериментально як "era vulgaris", емоційно як "...like clockwork", безглуздо як "rated r". Та це все ще до біса хороший альбом. Він мені сподобався, коли я його почувуперше, з тих пір він мені подобається тільки більше. Від інших альбомів "queens..." цей відрізняється кількома речами: відсторонений, майже монотонний вокал Гоммі, "kuyss-овий продакш (брудні гітари, низький бас, гулкі барабани і болотяний звук) й незвична прямолінійність, на цьому альбомі помітно менше саме альт-року. Важка "mexicola", попсовий "if only", химерна "you can't quit me baby", цей альбом - майже все чого мені хотілося б від стоунер року. Єдине що, не всі пісні на альбомі доростають до рівню вище згаданих, що і не дає мені поставити цьому альбому тверду вісімку. Оцінка: середня-висока 7
lowk too locked in to really listen 100%, but not bad at least!
Pretty middle of the road album for me. It wasn't painful to listen to, but not particularly memorable either. I hear Song for the Deaf is the better album by QotSA, so might check that out one day to see if I like it more. Favorite Track - Hispanic Impressions Least Favorite Track - Mexicola ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Really not my kind of thing. The occasional melody does break through.
I'm a big fan of QotSA. I have listened to all of their albums from Songs for the Deaf and onwards several times — but was mostly unfamiliar with this one. I have tried it before, but dropped it after finding it unrefined compared to their later work (not a huge shock). I'm glad I have the obligation to try it out in earnest again. My initial assessment feels correct for the most part. It's QotSA before maturity and clarity of vision elevated them to where they are now. There's still lots of things that makes younger albums great: dirty and infectious rock riffs, Homme's hypnotizing vocals, and driving rhythms. The irreverence, sneer, and fun are all there. But it lacks the cohesion that makes later albums something worth returning to. A good listen and shows how promising the band was, but I won't be coming back.
This album had a strong start and good sound throughout, impressive for a debut. Each time I’ve heard Queens of the Stone Age lately I have enjoyed it and plan to take some time to explore more.
some of this is great, some is really overindulgent and awful
3/5 Ambivalent grade. I feel some stuff is solid, after a while it gets boring, and the instrumenral tracks at the end are very hit or miss. It barely eeks out a 3.
I enjoyed the songs but I thought that some of it was too repetitive.
not what I expected honestly; it got better after the first song. You Would Know is funky i like it. Guitar goes crazy in all of the songs. There is a mix of "why are we guitaring about hispanic impressions?" and "what do u mean cutting up people?" Its really random haha
12/05/2026 I can't say I'm a big fan of QotSA. It wasn't necessarily a boring album, it just didn't stand out to me. Shame. Spotify listeners: 7.7 million
Okay, I don't dislike these guys, but this really didn't interest me and most desert rock doesn't. I've only ever heard one of their albums before this, and what the actual hell? Why is Songs for the Deaf not on this list? And two other QOTSA albums are?
I like Queens of The Stoneage, I even think both “Songs for the Deaf” and “Like Clockwork” are really good albums, I haven’t listened to this album though. What I don’t like though is grunge and 90s rock, and the 90s managed to ruin this album for me. It sounded like a bunch of demos and the whole thing was quite bland. “Mexicola” and “Regular John” stood out as the best songs of the record and pushes it to a 3 star. Insane their next album was “Songs for the Deaf”
I'm just really not looking forward to this at all. I expect it to be sexist "cock rock" based on the cover and I just hope it's not as bad as I'm fearing. "Avon" is okay So far, overall it's not as bad as I was fearing. The guitars are quite fun, and the soundscape created is enjoyable for the most part, but it's kinda that fade into the background late 90s early 2000s sound to me. Nothing i'd rush to put on, but nothing I'd rush to turn off. This exists and it's fine The cover, and it's alt version, still bother me tho. It's got like a machismo vibe to it. Like it walked into an awful smelling gym or something.
Rockin’ album
6/10 Fun stoner rock. Deserves a second listen.
Not much to say about this. Generic hard rock from the late 90s. Nothing special. 2.5 but rounding up to 3.
Formulaic, guitar heavy rock - not much to make it stand out at all. Musically, it was very repetitive for no apparent reason. Bonus point for including a track named “I was a Teenage Hand Model”. - outstanding work on that detail.
This is very likely the thickest bass sound I've ever heard. QOTSA have a gnarly Heavy Metal groove with a chill psychedelic feel. Unique, and very cool, sound.
6/10 While this is the debut Queens of the Stone Age record, it’s also a tiny bit of an outlier in that it was written and recorded before the band was fully established, with Josh Homme playing nearly all of the parts apart from the drums and a few minor parts by guest instrumentalists. It’s immediately apparent that the QotSA sound was in place from the very inception of the project, as the sound and vibe of this record is so representative of that sound that would continue through the following albums that it couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else. The sludgy, gritty tone, the foot-forward rhythms, the hooky, driven riffs and the pop-hook melodic vocal performances are all present and correct, and there are a few tracks where you can really feel where the band is going. The main issue with this record is that this stop on the journey is the train station of the provincial town just one stop before you arrive at the more exciting destinations. It’s decent, there’s some interesting stuff, but what comes next is where the real magic happens. While there are some real highlights here, a fair chunk of the songs feel a little underdeveloped and, while I enjoyed a lot of the riffs, there was often not quite enough within a song as a whole to keep me completely in for the entire track. It also feels overly long and there are a few tracks, particularly towards the end that just feel like a bit of a drudge to get through. One of the strange things about this album is that I came away from it with QotSA riffs in my head all day, but none were actually from this album. That’s how QotSA it sounds, without really managing to maintain the peak that they would be capable of over the following couple of records. All that being said, this was still decent and enjoyable enough, but not one worth revisiting often over their better work. Regular John - It’s kind of amazing how Queens of the Stone Age they sounded straight off the bat, isn’t it? Solid, crunchy riffs at a decent but not electric pace. Three bars of simple chugging followed by a fourth bar that develops the riff. Simple but well written vocal hooks. A rhythmic change-up into the chorus. Some slightly experimental guitar tones in the bridge. It’s all there. Not quite at their peak, but this is a solid start. Avon - This is a bit more sludgy. The riffs are still good, and the vocal melodies are very Josh Homme. It’s a decent album track that uses a cool selection of chord stricture directions to keep it sounding interesting and fresh. It does meander just a bit though and doesn’t manage to completely get its hooks in despite the chugging crunch of the guitars and the energy of the drums. If Only - This is more like it. There’s a bit of swagger and groove to this to go along with the crunchy weight of the riffs. That chorus is so hooky and tasty too. It’s really simple, but that simplicity works in its favour, in that it’s almost a sludge-pop song. I could probably do with one fewer solo in there, if I’m being honest, but it’s a great song otherwise. Walkin' On The Sidewalks - Clashing and full of attitude, this lacks the pop-hook nature of If Only, but throws in weighty rhythmic drive. The transition from the main verse riff to the smoother chorus is really nice, and there is some really great drumming in here. The tight, heavy rhythm of the full instrumental mix is really engaging actually. But it does feel like it drags on a small number of ideas for a little too long. You Would Know - The opening riff has a cool unresolved tension to its makeup. When the counter melody drops in, it only adds to that feeling of unease, especially with the slurred vocal part and the patchy insistence of the beat and bass line. It’s a cool premise, but it does feel like it’s never developed into anything beyond a good and interesting idea. How To Handle A Rope - Oooh, super crunchy. The build into this one is really nice, with the faltering drop in and out of the bass and beat before they kick in for real. The build and drop in the chorus chord structure is tasty. There are some more solid riffs and the lazy swagger of the vocal delivery and melodies are cool too. It is a tad repetitive in places though and feels like it could have been developed further. Mexicola - This, while still sounding very QotSA and having some more weighty riff work, as well as a decent vocal hook, does get a little bit stale. There’s some decent stuff in there, but the vocal feels a bit stretched in places. The feel of the groove is good, to be fair, but ultimately, it falls a little too far on the sludgy side and doesn’t have as much of the melodic sensibility or range of their better work. Hispanic Impressions - Again, there’s some stuff to really like in here, but it definitely feels a bit self-indulgent and like they’re going out of their way to be a tiny bit obtuse with some of the decisions and the sort of relentless nature of the rhythm and drive. I think it would work fine if surrounded by stronger material, but it kind of makes the album feel like it’s lulling a little. You Can't Quit Me Baby - A cool, slow groove with a nice blend of distorted bass and cleaner guitar here. It’s not bad, but it does drag on a bit repetitively and doesn’t really catch upon anything particularly hooky or elevate to a level above a general cool vibe. The speeding up bit towards the end is quite fun, but this is way too long and fairly dull. Give The Mule What He Wants - Ok, this album definitely weakens towards the end. There’s a decent riff in here and a fairly cool rolling beat, but that’s basically it for three minutes. Vibe good, songwriting underdeveloped and uninteresting. I Was A Teenage Hand Model - This has some really cool sound design and a nice brooding vibe. It’s a slow burner that builds and has a great atmosphere to it, but ultimately never reaches the peak that it hints at. Unfortunately, like the last few tracks, it’s just a little bland and underdeveloped. The electronic stuff in the end is super loud too, which is a bit unnecessary. Nice to hear Nick Olivieri joining the band at the end though, I guess?
okladka ni zcheca, spoko chociaz niektore pisenki strasznie dxiwne
I like Queen of the Stone Age, but a little bit goes a long way with me. Which means by 3 songs in I was ready to move on. I was completely unaware they had albums before Songs for the Deaf, so this was a nice little find and some really great bangers on this one. It leans a little more "college radio" than a polished studio sound, but still good overall.
Sludgy. Heavy rhythm. Guitar squalls. Elliptical mopey stoner self-harm lyrics. Not bad, but nothing sticks with me except the cool stomp on Spiders and Vinegaroons. "A world that's full of shit and gasoline, babe."
Two QOTSA albums on this list. I would have replaced this with songs for the deaf. But I still enjoy this for the most part.
Imperfect debut by a great band. They get better than this but you can hear the formula was there.
wasn't bad but just didn't stick out to me
not bad, not great either. very very mid
WHERE IS SONGS FOR THE DEAF. and yes, it's (of course) not as good as songs for the dead, but since it is his debut, it's alright. but its still a 3 for me cause songs for the deaf impressed me too much and this album didn't impress me much, although i know debut albums are always weaker than later works.
Not my favourite Queens album but you can hear where this is going to end up l.
удивительно нескучный, есть за что уху зацепиться. надо наверно их проверить
Maybe I just don't like listening to entire albums. The songs aren't distinct enough, it turns into a drone of mediocre rock for an hour.
Queens of the Stone Age.
I’d never heard this before. I’m curious as to why this is included and not Rated R or Songs For The Deaf. Nothing particularly fantastic here. I preferred Kyuss.
Not my favorite QOTSA album, but still rips
Fun, I liked QOTSA already, but still don’t find this album all that interesting.
I love the sound of QOTSA. I don’t love any of these songs. They must have known that would happen and started making a better record for 4 years later, which I personally appreciate.
Many genres combined some punk some grunge some pop some lofi cool though
Decent rock record. I liked the first half better than the second half.
A bit repetitive, but you can tell they are developing the sounds for which they would come to be known. The songs that have clearly done the best of this album are the ones that have Josh Homme's signature haunting wailing singing.
in rough n dirty 90s alt rock fashion, this would be clocked as grunge if they were from Seattle. it definitely fits the vibe of something that sounds cool playing in a stoner older cousin's bedroom (i did listen on 4/20 after all), but i think it's lacking a real spark to heighten it. i like the two follow ups more. deserves to be one of the 1001? i mean like lets be real this is their 4th or 5th most notable album. swap this for Songs For the Deaf, obviously. and while we're at it trade in ...Like Clockwork for Welcome to Sky Valley
Never really listened to queens. Have heard the like 2 songs that constantly play on the radio but this was sludgier than expected. Didn’t exactly speak to me but was an enjoyable listen.
Not bad, but really hit or miss. Amazing riffs followed by bog standard rock and back to cool riffs again. Josh Homme's voice gets better in later albums.
Not as good as some of their later work, but still on target.
A pretty mid rock album
-Cool bass stuff on Mexicola -They are taking a lot of liberties at the end here -Spiders and Vinegaroons reminds me of Be Gone by Brand New. a few brand new-ish riffs and tones in here -this end is hurting my ears good lord Faves: Walkin on the Sidewalks How to handle a rope You Can't Quit Me Baby Spiders and Vinegaroons
Generic
Album post grunge, solido 2,5 estrellas pero se lleva el 3 estrellas. A veces se torna un poco repetitivo.
This was high quality late 90’s rock. That said, it sounded like it could have been a Foo Fighters album.
They definitely got better once they discovered hooks and song structure, wanted to like it more but this debut is just one long drone sound.
Not super excited after listening to this one. This was pretty average, but I did really like Spiders and Vinegaroons.
Bin ja ein Fan von QOTSA und das Album war stellenweise ganz gut, aber teilweise fand ich es auch schwach.
Somehow the debut of a great band it lays the foundation that later better albums would grow into with the different configurations of the group. As it is, it is a pretty good record, but not one I'd say you need to listen before you die.
No había escuchado nunca este disco de ellos. No defraudan, pero tampoco sorprenden si ya los conoces. Me guardo: "Regular John", "The bronze" y "You can't quit me baby".
Ehhh.. It’s QOTSA. I have heard people say they were fans of this album, but it really seems that QOTSA barely evolve through their music. While they do have a direct style, it seems that though “Songs for the Deaf” is their “Best” album, the two sound relatively the same. While a lot of the songs are interesting, they end up overstaying their welcome, becoming mind-numbing by the 5-minute mark, leaving the last 45 seconds feeling like torture. While I found myself bumping my head to the album, as “Regular John” is a strong opener, the album begins to fade out by the fourth track. It gets repetitive, even as they start opening some of the later tracks with just bass instead of guitar. It’s sleazy, like I hate to say it, but it’s definitely something a bad dude would listen to. Anyways, it feels much like a Rock revival, though I wouldn’t classify it as that, like Led Zeppelin if they decided not to have any creativity, a cover band that’s integrating their own techniques and improvisation. The instrumentals are interesting, but by the time “Spiders and Vinagaroons” plays out, the desert rock begins to seem like an oasis far away; you’re tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. — Look at Wikipedia, it seems like I listened to the “Deluxe Version”, regardless, it becomes pretty redundant after the first four songs. Maybe it needs a re-listen, maybe this is what desert rock sounds like. I am not QOSTA’s biggest fan because they are not really my thing, except if I were driving an El Camino through the dusty highways of Las Vegas.
Mildly enjoyable. I’ll keep it in my library. It didn’t blow me away or anything though. Not sure why this is on the list in place of one of the other albums that have bigger more recognizable hits.
Pretty solid but a couple misses. Pretty long too
I know these guys are very respected by rock fans, but always felt like it sounded a little generic. Still not super sure. But Hand Model is awesome, sounds like Geese, made me give the whole album a few more listens. Still think it sounds a little like AI rock, but little moments of humanity.
ok
Knowing how good at least two of their other albums are, 3 stars. Still great.
Its ok.
Not huge on Queens, and this album felt a bit bloated to me. Definitely some good riffs in here but at this point in time I’m just not into that sludgy 90’s palette.
Two QotSA albums are among my inner circle of the most loved albums of my life (Rated R & Songs for the Deaf). Rated R is a four, going on five-star album, full of artistic flourishes and genuinely interesting production and songwriting. Songs for the Deaf is the best pure rock album of this century, taking everything from Rated R and adding massive riffs and an S-tier rhythm section. Two other QotSA albums (Lullabies to Paralyze & … Like Clockwork) are stone-cold classics in their genre, and while they probably shouldn't be in the 1001 albums to hear before you die, they're worth all of your time if you like the genre. And Era Vulgaris, In Times New Roman, and Villains each have songs worth recommending. This debut album, which was not popular or impactful culturally, lays the groundwork for how their sound would develop, and it has its moments for sure; I'd put it in that lower tier of QotSA albums, though it's probably more consistent than the other albums in that tier, and inconsistency is the flaw of those albums (and the awful, awful production on Villains). But what is it doing on this list? And more importantly, why is it the *only* Queens album on this list over Songs for the Deaf and maybe Rated R?
Never listened to this specific album. Their later album, Songs For The Deaf is one that dropped when I was younger and enjoyed at that time. Sound is late 90s/early 2000s hard rock to me. Guess these are considered stoner rock, but it all seems to melt into just the overall hard rock genre for me. Theres a bit of a distinct sound of his voice. It’s solid early on, nothing overly special to me. But a solid rocker. Some good riffs and great drums. Very 70s heavy metal influenced at times, can hear that Sabbath influence on it here and there. It seems to be missing something as a whole from the later Queens of the Stone Age I remember. This is all fine, and a good entry on the list for some genre variety, but surprised if this is the choice over Songs for the Deaf. It’s kind of weird in that it grows into the sound a little and you enjoy it more as the album goes, yet it still somehow feels kinda repetitive at the same time. You Can’t Quit Me Baby seems like the standout on the back half of the album that gives it a little spark of variety. If it had some more that stood out more, can see this as a 4, but think it’s a solid 3. Good and a fun listen, but not special enough.
volví a mis 17 con este disco, pero a decir verdad está lejos de mis disco favorito de esta banda, pero se siente toda la base de lo que llegó a armarse en su siguente disco (que es el mejor del grupo a mi criterio). sí variaran un poco las velocidades de algunos temas, estaría peleando por las 5 estrellas si o si.
Metal. Ok song when they have lyrics.
06 April 2026. 4pm. I enjoyed the first half of the album, but the second half isn't all that sorry 8,5/10
Pretty good, but obvious it was their earlier work, much less polished and clean sound as they achieved in their later and greater works. good none the less and fun to listen to, but defo has some skips. best song - if only
Tenk å ta med to album fra QOTSA uten å ta med Songs for the deaf....
A good rock album, but for some reason it doesn't really connect with me. It's got great riffs and just some overall fun songs that sound good, but I dunno. It's not getting any lower than a 3 because I like the talent that went into it. But maybe I'm just not a big QotSA fan.
Right on.
Felt like a very average alternative album
Fun and funky, but Songs for the Deaf will always be my favorite QOTSA album because of Dave Grohl. The sound here is the same and the songs are good, but I miss his drumming.
Generic modern hard rock. I thought Songs for the Deaf would be a better album to include on this list.
I think of this as the worst Queens of the Stone Age album. It's certainly the one I know least. I'm sure it's notable here for being the bridge from Kyuss to Rated R. There are definitely some good songs here but there's too much stoner droning. Josh Homme really tightens the band up after this, giving Queens a sound that distinguishes them further from his old band and which made them one of my favorite bands of all time. It's always interesting to hear them in these early recordings, but this critical listen did not change my opinion that this is the worst Queens of the Stone Age album.
^3.5
2000-luvun tuotanto kyseiseltä bändiltä on tutumpaa mutta ei niinkään alkupään. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ tähden rokkia.
I know the band have better albums I felt this album could of been better it’s not a bad album but nothing special
Mostly interesting, but entorely too long and convoluted to be a stand out
Great debut from Josh and the boys
50/50
Es algo diferente a lo que estoy acostumbrado, pero me gustó.
A little disappointed. I like some of their other albums, but this one seems more like generic rock. Not sure why this one ended up on the list.
just way too long. Pretty serviceable alternative rock for the late 90's though, its a little odd because their 2002 album pretty much clears this, a lot of the tracks here just kinda drag or feel drawn out. You could pare this whole thing down and it would be way more digestible. Solid effort on a debut though.
I’ve never been a big QOTSA guy and this album was a very distilled version of their sound. They’re talented, it’s just not really for me. Plus it’s waaaaay to long
Rule Book for 2010’s indie YouTube bands
A bit boring
ROCK N ROLL
Songs for the Deaf has always been the album of theirs that has drawn me most. This one has its moments. I can still hear Kyuss peeking through in a lot of this album, which is great, but I still feel they're searching for their sound here in the first album.
i hope he really was a hand model in his teenage years
At times, some fairly ripping rock and roll. At others, maddeningly monotonous. Not for me.
There's a sloppiness to this album that annoys me a bit, but at the same time there are a lot of killer songs here and also it's quite expertimental in some way. The attitude is already there, but yeah the best was yet to come for them.
Probably my least favorite QOTSA, but this band can't do anything bad... Except kick people in the face during shows. Anyway, this album really draws the bridge between Kyuss and QOTSA. It's an important album, but Songs For The Deaf would have made so much more sense on this list!
Good album, but a little long-winded, especially near the end. The best was yet to come for this awesome band!
Regular John - 6/10. Good. Avon - 7/10. Awesome drum break in the middle. If Only - 6/10. Solid. Walkin' on the Sidewalks - 7/10. Good. You Would Know - 5/10. OK. How to Handle a Rope - 6/10. Not bad. Mexicola - 4/10. Didn't really like this one. Hispanic Impressions - 4/10. Vaguely unpleasant. You Can't Quit Me Baby - 4/10. Vaguely psychadelic in a late 90s way, but the unpleasant kind of psychadelic. Give the Mule What He Wants - 5/10. OK. I Was a Teenaged Hand Model - 3/10. Was OK until the last part. The last minute or so was an assault on the ears. Overall Rating - 2.59/5 (5.18/10). This album absolutely sounds like 1998.
Better than expected but still 3 for now
Najs kanske lite för repetativt vissa gånge rmen ndå bra
Average
Still good but they got much much better later.
6/10
Was having a pretty good time before it flew off into the stratosphere in the second half. Wasn't really into the more conceptual pieces.
Not bad! Definitely feels like a first album. Can’t understand a word he’s saying, but the riffs kept my attention the whole time.
En ollut tätä levyä kuunnellut aiemmin. Muutama bändin levy myöhemmältä ajalta löytyy omasta hyllystä. Tää oli vähän tasapaksu materiaalilta.
Why is this the QotSA album they chose!? No One Knows... An MTV2 Rock Countdown era band for sure. The line "I want you to notice when I'm not around" from 'You Can't Quit Me Baby' is straight out of Radiohead's 'Creep'. Rock bands also loved to add strings of random numbers to their songs in the 90s. "One, six, two, seven, eight/Two, six, three, seven, eight, nine", have you met your cooler big brother "4, 7, 2, 3, 9, 8, 5 / I gotta breathe to stay alive"? Nowadays if you wrote a lyric like that you'd be accused of propagating conspiracy theories. Anyway, this album is just a 3 point oh oh oh oh one.
à moitié sympa, à moitié bizarre, ça rend assez bien quand même
c ok ig
Stoner rock 🤙 Un peu trop expérimentale la deuxième partie
Nothing overly exciting nor offensive. Avg rock sound.
Started out pretty hooky but kinda lost its way. Not bad 90s rock but ehh nothing special.
Espectaculo
La primera parte esta buena bro lo demas que 3 estrellas✌️
this is quality, but, i also fear i am not entirely the target audience. knowing their catchier stuff though, i prefer this. it is raw and rough around the edges and feels heavier, which imo has way more swagger than no one knows... which lowkey just feels like depressed dad music. 3/5
Ok, like the Foo fighters but better.
I honestly didn't see anything particularly special about this. Definitely nothing bad, but I found it a bit inoffensive. Maybe I'll appreciate it more if I listen to other Queens Of The Stone Age albums in the future, but for now I don't really care much about it. 3/5 because I don't really see anything wrong in particular, but it didn't stand out either. By the way, this is very random but why are the sounds at the end of the last track so loud? I had to lower the volume and it wasn't even high before.
Despite becoming aware of QoTSA around Songs For The Deaf, I only went back as far as Rated R when digging into them. Maybe I thought the cover to this one looked dumb and it turned me off from it? Not sure, but there are some good riffs in here and I'm glad this one came up. While I still prefer the next few records that came after this one, you could certainly do worse in the stoner rock via the desert genre.
You either like Josh Homme's songs or you don't. Overall it's fine. They get better on later records. Teenage Hand Model is dumb. Needs more Lanegan.
The inclusion of QOTSA’s debut on this list over Rated R, Songs for the Deaf, or Like Clockwork is truly baffling. The band lays down the groundwork for what will become one of the 21st century’s last great statements on rock’n roll. The signature guitar tones of Homme’s dropped tuning make the band’s sound instantly recognisable, and the churlish delivery is here. But the formula isn’t ready. The songs don’t cohere into the knockouts that litter the band’s later output. ✨
fine! not worse than the who. just sort of....there.......i've heard it before, I'll hear it again.
This was literally fine - nothing jumped out at me kinda generic
Quite enjoyable. Close to a 4 star.
I thought this was pretty good. It's nothing super unique - but well performed and decently written. Slightly forgettable, but I'm glad I listened to it.
Pretty good
Some of the instrumentals just were not for me. A couple strong points throughout but nothing that stands out for a rock album on this list.
Started strong but tapered off pretty quickly.
It’s fine but if we are celebrating great songwriting, why did we not include the album with a song that wipes everything on here?
I quite liked the style but none of the songs really stood out to me. Didn’t mind it as background listening but I’m not drawn to listen to the full album again. Fav song: How to Handle a Rope Least fav: I Was a Teenage Hand Model
Some of these songs are just the same riff again and again and again until you go crazy. Favourite song: You Would Know Least: Walkin on the Sidewalks
It's fine. Started off great but really dragged on. Very stoner rock-esque, but I can see the foundation of what they grew into at a pretty fast pace. Weird that this was the album on this list.
Strange, but has some cool rock drops
3.5
Regular John is good, the rest is fine. Which pretty much sums up my experience with Queens of the Stone Age. If they're on, I'm not going to say turn them off but I'm also not going to turn them on in the first place.
Thoughts before listening: I'm a big fan of QOTSA's Rated R and Songs for the Dead, but I'm not very familiar with this one. Is this their debut? If so it would be right after Josh Homme started the band after leaving Kyuss, so I'd expect a bit of carryover of that band's stoner metal. Review: Yeah...sludgy, stoner metal. It's good although I'm not really hearing any songs that comes close to the hits on the earlier mentioned albums. Still though, I enjoy Josh Homme's style and this is getting 3-stars.
I preferred rated r or songs for the deaf
It was ok nothing special
The debut album from stoner rock legends "Queens of the Stone Age" has all the heaviness I would have hoped for from their catalogue. The guitars and vocal performances are great. These songs don't feel as fleshed out as they could be though much like on "Songs for the Deaf" 7/10 Favourite: If Only Least Favourite: Hispanic Impressions
This was enjoyable but there were no standout songs
It's fine, but not their best.
Queens of the stone age. It's dark, heavy and familiar. They have better albums, but this one is still decent.
Some interesting ideas in the style of 90s rock.
6/10… dirty - alternative rock / *1998
QOTSA certainly deserve their place in the 1001...they're one of the best active rock bands in America. However, their discography is home to several better records than their self-titled debut. That being said, this record is a potent blend of hedonistic rock and established the QOTSA sound.
some of the songs were really good, but the rest were really boring and repetitive, almost reminds me of Nirvana. Solid 3 star album, favorite track was You Would Know.
Not a very cohesive or solid album. Some cool riffs. But overall mid.
3.5
Unfortunately, this was chosen over Songs for the Deaf. This is an okay album but SFtD is more representative of what QOTSA are.
Beginning very same-y and the end very experimental.
Not my favorite album of theirs, but still good.
Only listened to the first few songs there pretty much all the same but I liked it
Released three years after the last Kyuss album, the Queens Of The Stone Age debut marks a progression of sorts. Josh Homme keeps the songs shorter for a start and the whole approach feels more focused and lighter. Depending on where you stand, this might not feel like progression at all, but it was a strategy that bore fruit, particularly if success is measured in record sales and concert receipts. That’s not to say that when taken out of context, QOTSA doesn’t have its moments. Fascinating choices abound - openers “Regular John” and “Avon” hit the ground like desert seared Pumpkins and “If Only” brazenly borrows the Stooges “Now I Wanna Be Your Dog” riff. “Walkin On The Sidewalks” is a genuine standout, its tumbledown groove is instantly appealing, and its coda is just magnificent. Later, things get looser, though not necessarily heavier, and unfortunately, it’s an album of mostly slim pickings. Fortunately, their next long player was Rated R, so not all doom and gloom. 6/10
I have never listened to this before because I hadnt bothered to find out it existed! How silly of me. Its really great stuff, proper droney stoner rock. As my teachers used to say I must pay more attention!'. One song did remind me of Screaming Tree's, which is no bad thing.it will get more plays.
You know, I should like this band. They're dark and moody, rockers with decent guitar, obviously competent musicians. I dunno what it is. I can't get into them. This album is no exception unfortunately. They always just miss the mark for me, and so did this. Not every track mind: I quite enjoyed spiders and vinegaroons. It's not bad by any means, I should like it, but, I don't.
ok this is metal/rock ish. nice driving beat. oooh pretty soft vocals one hour of this???? ok. walkin on the sidewalks--a little crude, a little repetitive, not my favorite song in the world. actually that's an understatement. this is 2 minutes of the exact same 2 bar chord over and over and over again. mexicola--halfway through the album. nice starting beat. hispanic impressions--liking this one. honestly better with no vocals. you can't quit me baby--ooh nice guitar solo at 5min. ...oh to be a seal bobbing up and down in the water contentedly floating with the current... (sorry that has no relation to the album) these aren't the droids you're looking for-- i dunno how to keep writing original notes for every song... en generale, the instrumentals are interesting with a strong beat and engaging solos (hispanic imp., you can't quit, droids, intro of spiders and vinegaroons). there are, however, also long stretches (walkin on the sidewalks..., give the mule) with very repetitive rhythm guitar that just goes. too. long. i don't particularly love the vocals. leaning towards 2.4/5, but spiders and vinegaroons might bring that up to 2.6/5 i was a teenage..--hate the ending. does that bring it back down to 2.4/5?
3/5
forgetable
It’s all right album, one where nothing really stands out as special to me but nothing seems overly bad. I think bands usually do start here and nothing wrong with that but I really am excited to listen to their sophomore album sometime soon. I started a while back but didn’t get far before I had work to do or something. An album like that one deserves one full listen to as well. The album cover on this one is not my favorite but very 90s so I get it!
I remember a time in my 20s (the late 00s) when it seemed like I’d always run into dudes who needed you to know about their favorite rock & roll band that they definitely liked way before guitar hero, and it was always QOTSA, Muse, or Wolfmother. I appreciate that QOTSA made sure rock & roll stayed alive through the nu metal era, but a part of me has always felt like they were destined to be future dad rock. 20something years later, I don’t think I was wrong.
Ya gotta love QOTSA. I already was enjoying Kyuss and when that band imploded I wondered if Josh would continue in the same vein or branch off into something completely different. And in a way, QOTSA is something different. Definitely the stoner rock/psychedelic edge but with a helping of Krautrock that may or may not have been an influence. Regular John sets up the album nicely as this song foreshadows what is to come. Avon and If Only are clues that this is a sonically different group than Kyuss with Josh on lead contextualizing the songs with vocal hooks and pop choruses adjacent to heavy workouts. Songs like Walking on the Sidewalks, and You Can’t Quit Me Baby are good examples of this upgrade - Josh sounds like he could be fronting Sisters of Mercy until the guitar breaks are unleashed. And these are two remarkably different songs but the approach is the same - let the guitars center the song and then sing over the top as the song nswirls. These Aren’t the Droids You’re Looking For is a workmanlike instrumental but could have been left off the album. And that is the only problem with this record. You get to the end and there are a few songs that could be left off the album as they don’t quite work. Spiders and Vinegaroons is one of those. The foot stomps are cornballish- as if a stoner is going to stomp around. This is followed by a section of low key guitar noodling before the stomping picks up again. I was a Teenage Hand Model is a good finish - mellow vibe interesting vocally and an anti-climax to the album changing up the traditional big finish trope. Overall a pretty enjoyable record but unlikely that you’d revisit this many times. QOTSA‘S catalog has many better records so other than as a curio evidencing the bands origins, this is just an average record. 3/5
An interesting blend of Soundgarden and Nirvana. Not quite as raw and rough as those two bands and the leader singer sounds like he’s doing his best to imitate Chris Cornell. Overall, fairly solid 90s rock album but there are better artists from the era
Decent album
It was alright 👍
This album was the soundtrack to me struggling my way through a series of frustratingly obtuse puzzles in A Little To The Left. I'd previously listened to a later Queens of the Stone Age album, ...Like Clockwork, for a different album-listening project, and despite the constant praise I see for this band, I found that album to be only alright. This was a second chance for me to connect with Queens of the Stone Age, but once again, I found myself coming away pretty neutral. I can appreciate the groove here, and nothing on this album actively throws me off or turns me away; it just doesn't particularly grab me, and I find a lot of the songs to be a little indistinguishable, morphing into one big wall of noise and distorted guitars. Honestly, even without my prior experience with Queens of the Stone Age, this album has an uphill battle from the cover art alone. Highlights: Regular John, If Only, You Would Know, How to Handle a Rope (A Lesson in the Lariat), You Can't Quit Me Baby, Spiders and Vinegaroons, I Was a Teenage Hand Model
I had to skip the outros of a few of those songs. You can’t play the same riff for over a minute without variations and expect people to not get fed up.
Quite an okay album. An interesting preview into things they'd be doing way better after this album, but doesn't feel very remarkable to me.
Mostly liked the gloomy stoner rock. Almost gave it a 4 but some repetitive stuff dragged it back for me. Thoroughly depressed after listening though. Put my hoodie hood up and rocked back and forward just a little.
Pretty rocky, enjoyed it but not my favourite album
minimalist and monotonous. riddled with numbingly repetitive riffs. though i wouldn't say the album was dry or boring, it was alright. it's just that they had better things done in their later years.
Not bad, but just knowing there is better ahead means I have to mark this down a bit. Didn’t really feel like a complete album more like a demo. Overall enjoyable but I know there is magic on the horizon!
I'd listened to this one before. I've never been too big a fan of this band, but this has some good stuff. That being said, I often feel like they have a cool riff and sorta run it into the ground. Most of the songs would be better half as long. At some point, they added like 4 more tracks to this album, interspersed. I think that wasn't necessary and it's better with the original tighter runtime. 3.25 / 5
fun solos, catchy songs, decent vocals, boring at times 3.5