Reviews (page 6 of 10)
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
I don't get it; I could think about it and get it but I don't think I would enjoy it still
The classic QOTSA album I'm less familiar with. Probably could be a 4 with more listens but less if it holds on a first proper full listen. Should probably listen again before eating but let's pretend this is 3.5.
3.5, not doing it for me today and that's the problem with a highly subjective rating system
This is enjoyable. The sounds of it is nice, it's pretty hypnotic, which is good when in the mood for it. I think it's pretty clear their songwriting improved for later albums. But it's a promising debut I guess.
Cool early album of theirs. Closer to kyuss than modern queens
Killer stoner rock record, really mesmerizing instrumentals on this one. I can see how Dave Grohl would have heard this and thought to himself: "I wanna rock the fuck out with these guys"
Good guitar playing, he certainly knows how to write a great riff. I'm not a huge fan of Josh Homme's vocals though, the songs slightly blur into one by the end for me
Yep. Definitely stoner rock. This album made me think of sitting on a musty couch in a dank basement playing Killer Instinct on SNES trying to escape the humid July heat before my evening shift of flipping burgers and twisting soft serve at the miniature golf course. I'll give it a bonus star for somehow managing to evoke that nightmare.
Good grief. I think I’d rather listen to a jazz album.
Rock n fucking roll. Almost prog, almost metal, almost alternative. This band is truly unique.
Клевая группа, классный альбом
This is album sounds more like queens of the stone age than queens of the stone age. I love all their albums, but this one has a real special place in my heart. Regular John and how to handle a rope are peak quotsa.
I've liked everything I've heard from Josh Homme over the years (QotSA, Desert Sessions, Them Crooked Vultures, that album he did with Iggy Pop), but I had never listened to the first Queens of the Stone Age album until today. Loved it. Might have to hunt down a copy, hopefully with the original cover artwork.
Ugh ... more 90s drek. Please see my review on the 90s just picking up leftover scraps of prior decades, Queens of the Stone Age sound like they were the last to show up at that proverbial scrap pile. I know nothing about the author of "1,001 Albums to Hear Before You Die" ... but it feels like they were born in the 80s, so they completey ignore the good stuff from the 80s. They probably learned about the late 60s and 70s from their parents. They most likely spent their teenage years in the 90s, and wanted a source to share all their favorites here. Granted I have only hit 80 albums on the list at this point, but 20 of them are 90s albums. So does that mean I have to listen to 230 more 90s albums?
This is sick. It gets a bit redundant by the end, but that guitar tone is GLORIOUS. Really dig this a lot, excellent use of British dudes.
I have listened to other albums of theirs but not this one. It was good.
var med til at definere lyden af stoner rock i slut 90'erne. det er sådan lidt krautrock/robotrock agtigt fordi der er mange gentagende motoriske lyde. Det grænser også til psykedelisk men det er en del af lyden fra stoner rock. Den hypnotiske, rå og atmosfæriske del af det er desert rock. Jeg tror der er mange årsager til at jeg godt kan lide det her album. Under desert rock genren, som i forvejen er en atmosfærisk, rå lyd (oprinder fra starten 90'erne hvor man spillede rockkoncerter ude i ørkenen og det havde en speciel lyd åbenbart) men jeg tror den atmosfæriske, rå og hypnotiske lyd taler meget til mig. Der er åbenbart også lidt doom metal over det, fordi desert rock lyder sådan lidt mørkt. Ellers er den psykedelsiske, motoriske og gentagende lyd også meget mig. Så jeg tror der er mange årsager til jeg rigtig godt kan lide det her.
Ei ole yhtään kappaletta omaan makuun. Sorit siitä.
Sortir de l'ombre d'un groupe aussi mythique que Kyuss n'est pas une mince affaire. En 1998, lorsque Josh Homme dissout le monstre fondateur du stoner rock, le monde du rock lourd retient son souffle. Que pouvait-il bien advenir après avoir défini un genre tout entier, basé sur des amplis poussés à leur paroxysme, des riffs sabbathiques noyés dans la fuzz et l'immensité suffocante du désert californien ? La réponse est arrivée sous la forme d'un album sobrement intitulé "Queens of the Stone Age", une déclaration d'intention aussi déroutante que fascinante. Cet album fondateur est une oeuvre paradoxale : une machine de guerre rythmique d'une efficacité redoutable, dotée de mélodies hypnotiques, mais dont la précision quasi chirurgicale et la froideur calculée peuvent laisser l'auditeur à la lisière de l'expérience, admiratif mais pas entièrement conquis. Il est impossible d'analyser ce premier opus sans le comparer à son prédécesseur spirituel. Là où Kyuss était organique, boueux, expansif et presque incontrôlable, "Queens of the Stone Age" est tout son contraire : sec, épuré, incroyablement focalisé. Josh Homme, désormais seul maître à bord (ou presque, avec le batteur Alfredo Hernández), semble avoir volontairement pris le contre-pied de son passé. Il abandonne la lourdeur sludgy pour un son qu'il qualifiera lui-même de "robot rock". Et l'image est parfaite. L'album sonne comme une mécanique bien huilée, un moteur V8 qui tourne à un régime constant, puissant mais sans les soubresauts sauvages de la fureur adolescente. C'est là que réside sa première grande force, la section rythmique. La batterie d'Alfredo Hernández est un modèle du genre. Elle est à la fois puissante et incroyablement carrée, presque métronomique. Son jeu, influencé par le krautrock allemand de groupes comme Can ou Neu!, pose des fondations implacables sur lesquelles tout le reste peut se construire. Les lignes de basse, assurées en grande partie par Homme lui-même, ne sont pas en reste. Elles sont le ciment qui lie la batterie aux guitares, créant un groove monolithique, une pulsation qui vous prend aux tripes. Sur des titres comme "Regular John" qui ouvre l'album, ou "Walkin on the Sidewalks", cette synergie est palpable. Le squelette de chaque morceau est d'une solidité à toute épreuve. L'album est un monstre de groove, une leçon de rock'n'roll minimaliste et percutant. Par-dessus cette fondation, Homme déploie son génie mélodique. Les riffs sont la seconde grande réussite de l'album. Ils sont simples, répétitifs, presque hypnotiques. Ils s'insinuent dans votre esprit et y restent, comme des mantras électriques. "If Only" ou "Avon" sont des exemples parfaits de cette science du riff efficace, qui ne cherche pas la complexité technique mais l'impact direct. La guitare, avec sa sonorité si particulière, moins grasse que chez Kyuss mais tout aussi reconnaissable, tisse des toiles mélodiques entêtantes. Même le chant de Homme, plus en retrait, presque aérien, fonctionne comme une couche mélodique supplémentaire qui flotte au-dessus du maelström instrumental. Mais la perfection mécanique a un coût : l'émotion brute. L'album est brillant, mais il est froid. Sa production, volontairement sèche et compressée, renforce cette impression de distance. On admire la performance, la précision, l'intelligence de la construction, mais on peine à ressentir la vulnérabilité, la faille, l'étincelle de folie qui rend un album véritablement attachant. La répétition, qui est une force hypnotique, peut aussi devenir pour certains une barrière. Les morceaux se déroulent avec une logique implacable, mais ils semblent parfois manquer de ces aspérités, de ces accidents heureux qui font la chaleur d'un disque. "You Can't Quit Me Baby", avec ses presque sept minutes, est emblématique de ce paradoxe. Le morceau est un tour de force de tension et de répétition, une longue montée en puissance qui peut soit vous transporter dans une transe, soit vous lasser par son caractère obsessionnel. C'est un album qui semble dire : "Voici mon groove. Prenez-le ou laissez-le." Il ne fait aucun effort pour séduire l'auditeur, il impose sa vision avec une confiance presque arrogante. Cette démarche, si elle est artistiquement respectable, peut légitimement laisser une partie du public sur le bas-côté, comprenant intellectuellement la démarche sans pour autant y adhérer viscéralement. En conclusion, l'album "Queens of the Stone Age" n'est pas un disque qui cherche à plaire. Il impose sa vision avec une confiance absolue. C'est une oeuvre qui demande à être apprivoisée. Une fois que l'on a percé le secret de sa mécanique, on ne trouve pas un coeur froid, mais un moteur brûlant d'une intensité nouvelle. Ce n'était pas seulement la naissance d'un groupe, c'était l'invention d'un son. Un son qui, loin d'être une simple curiosité, allait profondément marquer les deux décennies suivantes. La note de 4 sur 5 lui rend justice : c'est un classique, un chef-d'oeuvre d'épure et de puissance hypnotique qui a su, avec le temps, prouver son caractère indispensable.
The first track “Regular John” was awesome. After that it got less propulsive and more sludgy which I liked quite a bit less
Harsh instrumentals and monotone vocals. Lots of repetition. Not particularly memorable.
I always liked them but never listened to this one, this was much better than I thought it was Will I listen to again: 100%
Very nice rock, really appreviated the bass lines and "Avon" in particular
You Would Know was my favorite on the album. The guitars throughout the album were solid. Close to a 4 but not quite
Great album. Lots of energy and variety the whole way through
Pretty interesting rock, with influences of psych, grunge, and prog. Not bad. Only one or two real standouts for me though. Walkin on sidewalks was cool. Kinda reminded me of Jack white for some reason.
Just okay
It “rocks” but is just not for me
I remember when this album was released, a year or two after grunge reached a more mainstream audience. At the time, it seemed like everyone was trying to ride the wave and when I first listened to this album it seemed like more of the same. After this I never gave Queens a fair shake, so I went into this listen wondering if give me a new perspective. There is no disputing that the album has big sound, with some interesting guitar riffs. I loved songs that successfully interated more complex pics and jabs with the driving power chords that define the record. This was a highlight for me. I also enjoyed the power of more bass-forward tunes on songs like Mexicola. All of the songs are repetitve, carrying chords and other elements from start to finish. Sometimes this works, but the places where it doesn't allow me to forgive my younger, dismissive self. I'm still unsure why this album is considered seminal. Perhaps due to the later commercial success of the band? I was torn on my overall rating. I decided that 3* albums were those that I was glad I listened to, even if only because it gave me a deeper perspective to modern music, whereas 4* albums are those that I do intend to listen to again. I don't thinnk that the latter was the case for this particular album, but it was interesting enought that I do intend to listen to later Queens albums to see where they ultimately take their music. In the end, I decided that this was more a credit to this project than this record specifically.
me just happy robot
I dunno. It wasn't as bad as I remembered but still pretty bad.
Totally above average. I'll come back to it.
Kinda felt like watered down Foo Fighters/RHCP - not for me, maybe
8/10 Favorite Song: Regular John This record rules. It's so dry, completely locked into its own sound, and it just goes on forever. "Regular John" starts with that distorted lead and keeps that going for the rest of the record. It's as much a midnight desert drive as you can get with no destination. No hooks, no big push, just guitars, repetition, and Josh Homme sounding totally bored and threatening at the same time. It's minimal, and it's totally in control. Maybe not their best album, but definitely one of their most focused. You can tell they knew what they wanted to sound like.
I guess I can understand the appeal to someone who liked this sort of thing but this was not for me.
Because of my small, smooth brain, I always get QotSA and Kings of Leon mixed up. This meant I expected Kings of Leon today and was pleasantly surprised to find something much better. There are some really nice riffs throughout this album. It's a shame that Josh Homme ended up being a big of a bad person (I don't think I made that up, did I?) as this album is actually a bit of a banger.
There are two versions of this album. The original 1998 recording makes a lot more sense to me genre-wise, than the remaster with added guitar tracks and additional songs. I like the aggressive guitar work and the interplay with the drums is awesome. The vocals don't do much for me. Docking an additional star because Josh Homme seems like an abusive shithead
I'm biased because QOTSA is maybe my favorite band... This album is pure desert rock / stoner rock perfection. Raw and heavy, but refined enough to be accessible. So many stand out tracks, but You Can't Quit Me Baby is my personal favorite. However, I do find it odd that this album was picked over Rated R or Songs for the Deaf.
Not as refined as their later works. But a promising start. Simple rhythms and beats but composed in a way that is pleasing and, well... groovy.
Not bad but nothing really stood out to me.
Never a huge fan of Queens of the Stone Age, but I like there later stuff better.
Queens of Stone Age Favorite are walking on the side walks- has awesome riff and then an even cooler one later “ You would know” is a cool groove I like his voice reminds me of a chilled out Chris Cornell or Layne Staley Mexicola has a sweet bass intro. Perfect combination of 90’s grunge vibes and a fun sense of experimentation. “You can’t quit me baby”was probably my favorite They know how to play great riffs and interesting songwriting around it too. I wish these guys did 7 nation army instead of white stripes
Theyre sick. I dont really know this record but super cool to hear their earlier stuff. Way more raw sounding in the best way. They have such a distinctive sound.
I love this band. You can’t quit me baby is my fave
A primeira vez que eu ouvi soou melhor do que a segunda.
My first ever vinyl record. A classic of the stoner rock genre
Solid enough album. Can't see anything special about it.
Best Song: Mexicola I like Queens of the Stone Age. I am not a die hard fan, by any means, and this might be the first album I listened to from beginning to end. Stoner rock at its finest!
3.5
I liked this, very fun
Hoo boy, another album I have heard absolutely nothing about and would never have listened to in a million, billion other lives. You have my full attention, Dimery. This is what it's all about. "Hispanic Impressions" is alright. The main guitar hook is catchy, even if the idiosyncratic nature of the music loses me as the track goes on. "You Can't Quit Me Baby" is also alright - the growling guitars add a gratifying floatiness to the music. "I Was a Teenage Hand Model" is alright from a melodic perspective, though the 5-minute runtime and lousy vocals kinda kill the appeal (not trying to backhand complement - it's among the strongest songs on the album). But man if this album isn't stretched out the ass to infinity and beyond. An hour is complete overkill for both a debut album and an album comprised almost entirely of instrumental pieces. Too much, too soon. It also doesn't help that this album features a lot of extremely repetitive guitar performances, which only become more grating as I get deeper into the music. I'm gonna say it: this is a nowhere album. If the tunes of this album were a location I would be stranded wandering along a run-down paved road in the middle of a vast dune, the sand blowing all across my body and the warm summer heat creating visible ripples in the view ahead. It's been an exceptionally long time since I last rolled out the "nowhere album" moniker, which makes this one a special occasion. But it's true. I don't think that this album earns a spot on the list when a million and one more-deserving albums got shafted. I'm curious to see the reasons for why this album made it onto the list. Dave Grohl is on this album. A lot of guest appearances. "Distinctive sound" (I disagree). Uh, yeah nah. This one's goin in the album shredder. Hasta la vista, Queens. Your cave or whatever kingdom you rule is mine now.
Not for me
First half is great. Acid rock/stoner rock/whatever you want to call it. Second half drags a bit.
Come find me anytime I’ll gush about this album. I already listened to it today (I rolled this before midnight) and I’ll do it again. I will argue to listen to the extended version there’s some good jams on there. I cite this album specifically as breaking down the entry barrier for me being into a lot of long, drone music. A lot like Foo Fighters self titled, this is a man out from his first band success (Kyuss this time) making an album alone and making something better than anything the previous band put out (with help from Kyuss’s drummer). Let’s get into it brother. Regular John sets the tone by proving you do need to hear the same riff uninterrupted for minutes at a time. It also is the first taste you get from Josh, top 25 guitarist all time, where you go huh that’s a weird note. Not the strongest vocals but he sure can curate a vibe (he hires 3 different vocalists over the course of the band before figuring it out himself). Avon is the first time he really stretches out and shows off his little unique scale that he loves (I have a music major and I still haven’t really figured out, it’s like a mixolydian sharp 2 something or another). If only continues the drone, playing into the scale a little more. There’s a lot of songs on here that can be described as Josh vibes for a long time and then plays a fucked up scale really well, it’s sort of the whole album. If there is a criticism it’s that, but personally it’s what makes this album so unique to the like Grunge (Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters are on top of the world when this comes out) happening at the time. I’m going to abandon the track by track review but this album is so special to me, as is queens entire discography. I will be understanding if this is not the cup of tea this group will love but Josh Homme is so informative on how I play and listen to music still that this can’t have anything less than a 5 for me. If I remember correctly Liam does not like teenage hand model. Clockwork > songs for the deaf > era > rated r > this > lullabies > villains > new Roman And they’re all at least 4’s.
Queens of the stone age has kinda lived on the perimeter of my music periphery for a long time. I can usually only enjoy them for a little bit of time before it gets a little too muddy for me; however, this album is still very good. I do think that album is too long though. Regular John is a fantastic opener. Weak 4
Enjoyable. Bass was fatter than I remembered. A little too long imo, but I get that a lot of this is supposed to be droney desert rock. Qotsa have better albums later that I would give a 5 ( Songs for the deaf and Like clockwork for sure) but this is feeling like a strong 4/5
nothing crazy exciting about it but it’s rock so it rocks
-i listened to this and Songs For The Deaf, which i’ve been meaning to get around to for a while. honestly this doesn’t even begin to hold a candle to SFTD so idk why it’s on here instead, but there are some great moments -i love the fuzzy stoner rock guitar so much. one of my favorite “new genre i like” discoveries of this year -Favorites are Regular John, You Would Know, and Hispanic Impressions
I consider myself to be a huge Queens of the Stone Age fan. I really enjoy this album but it isn't even close to being their best work. To rate an album 4 stars while also saying it doesn't belong on the list is probably an odd hot take but that is my belief. If it is here as a historical importance type album I feel then Kyuss which evolved into QOTSA should have been included. I agree QOTSA should be on the list but I think Songs for the Deaf, Rated R, and Lullabies to Paralyze would have all been better choices. I get they aren't David Bowie or Elvis Costello so don't warrant multiple albums on the list but picking one of their better albums to give people a taste of what the band sounds like would have been better.
Didn’t like it
That was ok. First listen to this band.
This is a pretty good album as well, but back in the day, I had to listen to it a few times to really absorb it and get familiar with it. It’s definitely an in-between transitional type album that straddles the line between the stoner rock and metal that Kyuss was known for, and the more straightforward rock sound that QOTSA evolved towards with their follow-up album Rated R.
I liked this. Kinda grungy rock that I could use more of. 4/5
Heard it before. I'm not the biggest QotSA fan but I do really enjoy them whenever I listen to their albums. This album though really suffers from being so long. I kinda got bored of all the filler material halfway through 2/5
I had avoided this when it came out for some dumb arbitrary reason, but I’m glad it came up today. I really enjoyed it. Not what I was expecting.
I really dug this album. Surprised I had never actually listened to it before. Reminded me of early Radiohead in a way? Excited to dig more into the QOTSA discography.
Not my preferred style of rock, but it's close to a lot of sounds I love. I'm picking up a post-grunge Soundgarden feel, years before lighter-weight acts like Jet and The Hives would arrive on the scene. This album must have been a breath of fresh air for the culture, given that this was getting released during that late 90s "rock is in crisis" period before The Strokes brought rock and roll back in 2001. The first few songs felt too raw for my enjoyment. Standout favorites were How to Handle a Rope, You Can't Quit Me Baby, and Spiders and Vinegaroons (which was only on the 2011 reissue, I'm now reading). The musicianship was good, but I wanted more interesting lyrics. I remember exactly zero lyrical ideas, 4 hours after listening. That's an issue. PS - I Was a Teenage Hand Model is a hilarious song title.
I have learned I’m not a fan of stoner rock. This album was too specifically that for me. I heard a couple songs I liked by them after this album played, but I couldn’t tell one song from the next
Had fun with this one, definitely brought me back. A couple songs made me think of the show Charmed and the bands that would cameo at their club. Can tell it's a debut album in that it falls apart a bit towards the end, but overall really enjoyed it.
This was good until it wasn’t 😂 liked the songs with the words and then when there weren’t enough, the music stressed me out too much to listen on.
Really enjoyed this! Hadn’t listened to QOTSA since middle school and only knew their later album. Loved the heavy textures on this one, will be coming back to this
I could do that!
I found it utterly forgettable and bland rock. Somebody tell AI I've found some jobs it can take. 1/5
You Would Know is a cool song... You Can't Quit Me has some interesting bass playing... but, mostly this record is grungy, semi-hard rock... all instruments except drums by one guy, and it sounds like it... is it horrible? no... i found my head bopping a bit at times... these guys are 10 years younger than me... or i should say, guy, Josh Homme... and i remember, in the 90's i hung out with a lot of people 10 years younger than me, and while they LOVED my music... whenever they would excitedly ask me to listen to some of theirs, i never got it... i would think that this younger crowd had a lot of angst, and inner turmoil... lolol... i don't get this record either... it would probably get five stars from people in their late 40's early 50's... but, from me, it gets three... for artistic intent. any record this tuneless, grooveless, plodding, etc that gets three stars from me... is a miracle in itself... zzz
some interesting and enjoyable instrumentation but unfortunately boring vocals
QOTSA can fuck off
Favorite Track: The Bronze
QoSA son una banda con un sónido muy logrado. No inventan nada pero son muy eficientes. Homme tras su paso por Kyuss (otra banda esencial) funda las QoSA y debutan con este estupendo disco, que sin embargo no está a la altura de los imprescindibles Rated R y Songs for the Deaf. El trío inicial es imbatble, con If Only sonando a los Stooges de finales de siglo. Salvo Walking on the Sidewlaks, que se hace monótona y pesada, el resto configuran un álbum muy disfrutable. Hispanic impressions y sobre todo You Can't Quit Me Baby (menuda joya), es Led Zepellin actualizado. Spiders and vinegaroons es otra marcianada que resuena a cualquier cosa (Kashmir, Fucking in the bushes, etc.) En How to handle a rope suenan a Foo fighters, con quienes tienen relación, aunque en realidad la tienen con medio panorama musical (desde Pj Harvey hasta Chili Peppers, pasando por Lanegan o Trent Reznor, Alex Turner y hasta Elton John en el otro imprescindible suyo ...Like Clockwork). Un disco de QoSA es imprescindible, puede ser este , cualquiera o los 3 ya citados.
Day 1: Queens Of The Stone Age-Queens Of The Stone Age This Album was decent at best... See when I first turned on this album and for the first few songs I actually quite enjoyed Queens Of The Stone Age but the more I listened I realized that this album really isn't very good. From the repetitive riffs and the lyrics that never really seemed to go to well with the music it all got a bit annoying by the end of the Album. The tracks on Queens Of The Stone Age all sound somewhat similar and honestly I thought most tracks were just Ok. The few tracks I thought were pretty good were "Regular John", "If Only", and "You Would Know." Favorite Song: Regular John
Was not prepared for this to rip as much as it does. It’s not a fully fleshed QOTSA album and I have a hard time enjoying those dudes for all their personal problems. But when shit rips, it rips, and Homme et al. have incredible tonnage of riffs and groove here to kick off a whole genre. It fizzles by the end but it’s a fun trip while it lasts. Just confused why Rated R or Songs for the Deaf isn’t here instead…
some really cool tracks in the back half. forgot how much this rocked
Not for me
Such a unique sound, instantly knowing it is them, just from the first ten seconds of instrumental. Stoner Rock and album has more of a feel of a demo, than finished album, but fair for first release and remastered later. Kinda samey and a steady trot through the signature sound and similar tracks. Surprised ‘Songs for the Deaf’ isn’t in the list instead/as well. But a unique debut all the same and worthy for its originality. Some nice experimentation and off beats, but a bit, “okay, I get it” by the end
I like the grunginess but the album at large didn't really wow me
Coming back to review this a week after listening. I definitely liked it. I can't remember why though.
6/10 incredibly mid quite unremarkable
not even their best work imo
Overly repetitive sounds with not great music playing, it’s amazing to me when talented musicians actively try to make their instruments sound bad, that takes an extraordinary amount of skill.
I liked it. Nothing really grabbed me and stuck in my head, but I like the experimental nature of lot of it, especially towards the end of the album.
I’ve never considered myself a fan of QotSA but this is a very solid album. “Regular John” is such a great opener. This is definitely the most I’ve enjoyed an album on this generator in some time.
Entertained from start to finish. A few moments of repetitiveness but it seems like in every instance they pull themselves out with either a spectacular hook melody or they shake you out of it with a huge jolt of energy. Loved almost every moment. Only a couple “filler” tracks, but they were still pretty good. It sounded like a band that were playing around, having fun, and developing their sound.
5/5
Some dirty riffs but no particularly memorable songs. Surprisingly grunge inspired.
I actually enjoyed this more than some of the later QOTSA albums. A little more raw sounding.
Very spacey and more than a little grimy. Reminds me of the first albums by NIN and Foo Fighters, all self-made by the artist and what their true vision was at that time. Just when I thought it was going to be the same tempo/groove throughout the album, it changed up. Musically very interesting and bridges the 70’s hard rock with the 90’s/aughts production. Would be a great late night road trip listen.
nope. never could jive w this band didn't even listen I am sorry I had to make an executive decision : )
I never listened to them much back in the day. There were so many bands in roughly this style that they got lost in the mix, although "I Was a Teenage Hand Model" takes a fun departure and feels more Beck-inspired, which I liked.
They get a lot of mileage out of one chord rave-ups. Or at least a mile - give or take. A band I have always felt should be better for both obvious reasons (employing the greatest rock drummer of his generation) and less so (their highs are awesome but buried under mediocre tracks casting infinite permutations of brown). When they cut loose and go searching a bit - ala the last two tracks - things get a little more interesting. A little. This happens on every album - but not enough.
HEAVY. HEAVY RIFFS. Some fav jams on this.
I know anecdotally that there are a bunch of Queens of the Stone Age fans. But I’ve never really got them. It’s fine, I guess. A whole album is too much for me. 2/5
Good debut. Probably one of their three best albums.
The most interesting part of this album was discovering a sample used by Skepta. QOTSA are best in small doses in my opinion, an album feels too long.
late 90s rock which didn't impress me
Not my genre.
Tuntu tosi mitäänsanomattomalle.
My original review back in January still stands: “I like QotSA, but this album seemed a little repetitive. I really like the overall sound, but the repetition is not for me. Sometimes it's bearable, other times just not at all! I think other albums are better.”
Love this band. Great sound
Despite my like of Rock in general, QOTSA never clicked for me. 2.5
## In-Depth Review: *Queens of the Stone Age* by Queens of the Stone Age **Queens of the Stone Age’s** 1998 self-titled debut is a landmark in the evolution of modern rock, fusing the remnants of stoner metal with a new, groove-driven sensibility. The album stands as both a product of its time and a blueprint for the band’s future, offering a raw, hypnotic listening experience that is as compelling as it is unrefined. --- ## **Lyrics** The lyrics on *Queens of the Stone Age* are enigmatic, often dark, and sometimes disturbing. Josh Homme and drummer Alfredo Hernández craft lines that oscillate between the surreal, the violent, and the absurd, frequently adopting the perspectives of flawed or unstable characters[1][4]. Themes of obsession, self-destruction, and alienation are prevalent, as seen in tracks like “You Can’t Quit Me Baby,” which narrates a love so toxic it borders on psychosis: > “I slashed and I cut and I do it for you. I want you to notice when I’m not around. I’ll see you in hell.”[4] Elsewhere, songs like “Avon” and “I Was a Teenage Hand Model” weave cryptic imagery and dark humor, sometimes referencing biblical or existential motifs. The lyrics are intentionally open to interpretation, adding to the album’s sense of unease and unpredictability[4]. While the writing is creative and evocative, it can also feel detached or emotionally distant. Homme’s delivery, often subdued in the mix, reinforces the sense of a narrator observing chaos from a distance, rather than being fully immersed in it[2][4]. This approach can be both a strength-heightening the album’s mysterious atmosphere-and a weakness, occasionally making it hard for listeners to connect on a personal level. --- ## **Music** Musically, the album is a melting pot of influences, with the DNA of Homme’s previous band Kyuss evident in the sludgy, down-tuned guitars and desert rock grooves[2][5]. However, *Queens of the Stone Age* distinguishes itself through a tighter, more robotic approach-especially on tracks like “Regular John” and “Avon,” which channel the motorik pulse of Krautrock bands such as Neu! and Can[2]. The result is a hypnotic, relentless drive that underpins much of the album. The rhythm section is particularly noteworthy. Alfredo Hernández’s drumming is both precise and primal, locking in with Homme’s bass and guitar to create grooves that are simultaneously heavy and danceable. Tracks like “Mexicola” and “Walkin’ on the Sidewalks” showcase this dynamic, blending Sabbath-esque riffing with infectious, almost funky rhythms[2][5]. Guitar work is another highlight. Homme’s riffs are inventive and memorable, often eschewing traditional solos for angular, atonal leads that serve the song’s mood rather than showcasing technical prowess[1]. The interplay between repetition and subtle variation gives the album a trance-like quality, inviting listeners to lose themselves in its grooves. However, some critics have noted that the compositions can become repetitive, with certain tracks overstaying their welcome or lacking the dynamic shifts that would come to define later QOTSA albums[4]. The focus on groove sometimes comes at the expense of melodic development or emotional range. --- ## **Production** The production on *Queens of the Stone Age* is raw and unpolished, emphasizing the band’s live energy and the physicality of their sound[2][5]. Vocals are often mixed low, giving the instruments room to breathe but sometimes making the lyrics difficult to discern[2][4]. This choice adds to the album’s mysterious, underground vibe, but also highlights Homme’s relative lack of confidence as a frontman at this stage in his career[2]. The mix favors a wide stereo separation, with guitars and drums panned aggressively, creating a sense of space but occasionally making the soundscape feel disjointed[4]. There is a palpable sense of experimentation, with unexpected sonic elements (such as clarinet on certain tracks) and playful studio effects. Chris Goss’s contributions as producer and musician add texture and depth, even as the overall sound remains gritty and immediate[5]. While the rough edges are part of the album’s charm, they can also be a liability. Some listeners may find the production muddy or uneven, particularly compared to the more polished sound of later QOTSA releases. --- ## **Themes** Thematically, the album explores the darker corners of the human psyche. Obsession, violence, alienation, and existential dread are recurring motifs, often presented through the lens of flawed or unreliable narrators[1][4]. The music and lyrics work in tandem to create a sense of unease, with hypnotic grooves lulling the listener into a trance before unsettling them with abrupt shifts in tone or disturbing imagery[4]. There is also a strong sense of place-the “desert rock” aesthetic is not just a musical style but a thematic underpinning. The album conjures images of isolation, heat, and desolation, reflecting both the physical landscape of Homme’s origins and the emotional terrain of the songs[5]. Despite the darkness, there is an undercurrent of humor and self-awareness. The band’s willingness to embrace absurdity and play with genre conventions gives the album a unique personality, setting it apart from more self-serious rock contemporaries. --- ## **Influence** *Queens of the Stone Age* did not immediately revolutionize rock music, but it laid the groundwork for the band’s future impact[5]. The album bridges the gap between the stoner metal of Kyuss and the more accessible, genre-blurring sound that would define QOTSA’s later work. Its blend of heavy riffs, danceable grooves, and experimental production influenced a generation of rock bands seeking to escape the constraints of grunge and nu-metal. The record’s “desert rock” ethos helped popularize a scene that had previously been underground, bringing attention to bands that valued groove and atmosphere over technical flash. While not as commercially successful or critically acclaimed as later albums like *Songs for the Deaf*, the debut’s cult status has only grown over time, especially with the benefit of hindsight and reissues[5]. --- ## **Pros and Cons** | Pros | Cons | |---------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | Hypnotic, groove-driven riffs and rhythms | Vocals often too low in the mix; lack of confidence in delivery | | Inventive, atonal guitar work and dynamic drumming | Lyrics can be emotionally distant or hard to decipher | | Raw, energetic production captures the band’s live feel | Some tracks are repetitive or overlong | | Unique blend of stoner rock, krautrock, and proto-metal influences | Production can be muddy or uneven | | Dark, intriguing themes with flashes of humor and absurdity | Lacks the polish and ambition of later QOTSA albums | | Strong sense of atmosphere and place (“desert rock” aesthetic) | Not all band members who defined later sound are present | | A compelling look at the band’s evolution and roots | Can feel like a transitional work rather than a fully realized vision| --- ## **Conclusion** *Queens of the Stone Age* is a fascinating debut-raw, hypnotic, and brimming with potential. Its flaws are inseparable from its charm: the album’s rough edges, subdued vocals, and repetitive structures are as much a part of its identity as its sludgy riffs and locked-in grooves. While it lacks the swagger and ambition of later QOTSA releases, it remains an essential listen for fans of alternative and hard rock, offering a glimpse into the birth of one of the most influential bands of their generation[2][5]. For listeners seeking polished production and anthemic choruses, the album may feel underwhelming. But for those drawn to the darker, weirder corners of rock, *Queens of the Stone Age* offers a unique and rewarding journey-a scuzzy, desert-fried odyssey that still resonates more than 25 years after its release.
Fuzzy riffs, desert propulsion, and a hypnotic groove. A desert rocket that peters out toward the end
Tbh did not love this. Lots of electric guitar doesn't guarantee a hit. Very repetitive.
Leuker dan songs for the deaf
Pretty good. Nothing standout but still pretty good.
First half of the album was really strong but they lost me on the second half. Got a bit boring but as a whole thing its still a solid tape. (2.5/5.0)
2/10 This was a tough listen for me, just not my genre and struggled to pick out any redeeming qualities to individual songs. Actually listened to this on shuffle accidentally which is obviously complete sacrilege but I very much doubt an in-order listen would redeem it. Regular John gave me promise that the rest of the album would be palatable, with the vocals being right up my street despite the chugging guitars they are set to. Sadly, nothing else hit the same spot and even Regular John isn't really worth revisiting for me. Best songs: Regular John Listens: 1?
It began to drag at the end. I also preferred the songs with no vocals.
just no
I quite enjoyed this album, no stand out tracks for me but it’s probably a grower. Easy listen as background music
What a weird cover. Not my jam at all.
I can’t be mad at more 90s rock. That’s my wheelhouse. But it is really funny to think of the 1001 authors sitting down to be like, “you have *got* to hear this average example of a genre already well represented, both in pop culture and in our book, before you die.”
Great Album
Činjenice su sljedeće: QOTSA je bez ikakve sumnje jedan od najboljih i pogotovo meni najdražih bendova na svijetu, ovo je monstruozan debi koji je uspio zauvijek definisati njihov zvuk koji cijelih sedam albuma poslije nije uspio dosaditi ni zastarjeti, skoro da je sam Josh radio na albumu što sve čini još impresivnijim. Iznenadila sam se da je od svih njihovih albuma baš ovaj na listi (a nadam se da će ih biti još, moralo bi) ali sad kad ga opet vrlo pažljivo slušam postaje mi jedan od njihovih najboljih. A konkurencija je žestoka. Zaključak je da je raspad Kyussa bio jedan od ključnih trenutaka za muziku, rezultat je formacija benda boljeg od većine.
Just some solid rock
They definitely got better on subsequent albums
Судя по всему это единственный альбом группы, что грустно, потому что другие их вещи мне кажутся сильно лучше, но это всё равно очень яркий альбом со своей уникальной (ну как бы Kyuss, но их тут скорее всего нет) атмосферой. Лучшая песня - Regular John.
Decent record. The sound was consistent, but still good variety between the songs.
I think if 1/3 of the album was cut completely it would have gotten closer to a 5.
I did not realize that Queens of the Stone Age put out their first album in the 90s. And unfortunately, it’s just alright. It sounds like a more aimless Foo Fighters. Having heard their newer work, I think the sound they evolved into was a much better choice. I also think the number of songs with too much random noise is too high.
Never heard it, s’posed t’be good. On my list!
Really enjoyed this album. It's not their biggest but it is very solid. I would listen again for sure.
QOTSA:n debyytti. Kyllähän tästä bändin soundin tunnistaa, mutta monta laahaavaa ja itseään toistavaa kappaletta. Eikä yhtään bändin hittejä. QOTSA:lla on kyllä parempiakin levyjä. Parhaat: How To Handle a Rope, Regular John, Spiders and Vinegaroons
Like it 3/5
Super cool, definitely gonna play a lot of this again
Its okay but not really my thing
I love this album, though Songs For The Deaf would have been my choice in its place. 5 stars for the band though, even though I got tinnitus at their concert which is still the loudest one I've ever been to.
This rocks !
Nice
I've given this one a hesitant three; I felt that I'd be able to make it all the way through from the intro tracks. It got to be a challenge near the end.
Not a group I've listened to much, I liked this one OK there just aren't any tracks that really stood out.
I've always liked this group, they're great at writing fun and catchy alt rock hits. This album's songs were pretty consistent, but I wish they didn't have several tracks of them waffling around on a repetitive riff. It made the one hour runtime seem undeserved
A little noisy for me
Intense in delivery, fairly dismal in tone. It's at once very good and a bit dragging
I have been going through some discographies and there is something I noticed about debut albums. Either the artist or band pretty much come out the gate swinging or it’s kind of forgettable and is only a footnote for the later albums. For this album, it falls into the former category. It certainly feels less like Queens of the Stone Age and more Kyuss, but it shows a nice transition point between the two bands. There’s a really cool blend of hard rock and funk, with a small hint of metal. It’s been said multiple times in the reviews, but it’s a shame that this is the only QOTSA album chosen for the list. No Rated R or Songs for the Deaf. It would have been nice to hear the band evolve into their better known efforts. Guess I’ll has to venture there myself. Favorite track: Avon Other hits: Regular John, If Only, Mexicola, Walkin’ On the Sidewalks, You Would Know
Some bands just fucking nail it on the first album… this one is one of my all time favorites, Homme is one hell of a songwriter. Top 3. IDK man pretty much every song from front to back
Yeah, good 90's grunge. This albums falls perfectly into the time spectrum... not overstaying the genre into the 2000's but firmly owning the sound.
Why do I like this so much? I thought this band would sound like Foo Fighters or something, I was expecting this to be shit. I really like it. It's controlled and laidback in a way I absolutely love. I totally forgot this band shares members with Kyuss. Really really enjoyed this. Didn't give it a 5 because the second half does drag on a bit compared to the first half but I still got a lot out of it.
YES
Pretty good, got a little repetitive but overall enjoyable.
This debut is just brimming with ideas and it rocks. I guess if I have to give an honest critique, I think the album would be even better with a little bit of editing. At times, things can sound a little same-y and sound more like ideas than fully fledged songs. Really, though, I’m comparing this album to the next few that come after it and so that might not be fair context.
I really thought I'd like this more than I did. It really just sounded like reheated Black Sabbath.
Wow! It’s all the same. They certainly have a distinct sound, but it isn’t defined enough on their debut. Don’t worry guys, it gets better. 3/5
Y'know, I didn't want much out of this album. I mean, I know what a Queens Of The Stone Age is and what it does; I've heard SONGS FOR THE DEAF enough times. As long as it provides me with that kick-ass Palm Springs desert rock I know 'em for, I'll be happy as a damn clam. Heck, I was even willing to keep in that this is their first album and not judge them too hard if it's not "exactly there yet." I'll emphasize: I **was**. But then I heard the album and, uh... Like, look, I'm gonna sit here and tell you it's **that bad**. If you're looking for a little hard desert rock, I can't say this won't do the job, but it won't do any more than that. It's just so flatly fine that I'm not really finding myself inspired to wanna say too much. Off the top of my head, the best I can think of is that, well, this was at least successful enough to lead to the album I'm actually interested in? I'm also mentally comparing it to the other "band debut that's actually a one-man band" dealie I know of, Foo Fighters' eponymous, and, jus'... Goodness, what Dave did on that album was so much more interesting than what Josh did over here. "I'll Stick Around" by itself clears everything on here. 'Coz, I'unno, Dave just has more things going on in his songs than Josh does. Josh is perfectly happy to let the same drum and guitar riff loop for, like, 80% of the songs, with vocals on top that hardly make up for it. This is "stoner rock" in that you might hafta be stoned and not really paying attention to notice how much isn't going on. I wanna give credit to one song, and that's "Mexicola". In my mind, it's the best track here, and it's the closest I'd come to calling any of this material "kick-ass." I mean, heck, it's actually **interesting**, go figure! Now, to be fair, I didn't actually listen to the entire album as it exists on streaming; I listened to the original vinyl track listing. For all I know, "The Name Of This Song Is A Quote From The Movie Star Wars" would've redeemed the whole thing, but I'm not particularly interested in finding out. So... Yeah, I'unno. A 3. It works for what it is, but already being aware of SONGS FOR THE DEAF, I don't have much use for this. Heck, even if I did, I wouldn't wanna listen to it in full again for how "I Was A Teenage Hand Model" ended. Pure discomfort, goodness me. So... I'unno. Honestly, it's kind of a shame that it's the only QOTSA album here, but what'cha gonna do, huh? Well, I don't know about you, but me, I'm gonna go put on "No One Knows".
While not as well known as something like Songs For The Deaf, this still kicks a whole load of ass, through and through. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump down to a 3. I’ve heard of Queens of the Stone Age, but I haven’t *heard* them (or in this case, him) until now. This is, much like the first Foo Fighters album, secretly a solo project, although the drums are by someone else. Unlike the first Foo Fighters album, I think this one just sort of flounders in a vague kind of mediocrity – nothing’s ever technically “wrong” on this album, and it sounds really nice when you’re not paying attention. Unfortunately, I am the exact type of person to pay attention, and that attention applies to everything. I think the lyricism isn’t as precise and measured as many of its other 90s grunge contemporaries that we’ve got (i.e., Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, Nirvana), and the broader strokes don’t really paint any kind of consistent picture for most of the tracks. I think the instrumentals are good, but suffer from the occasional really long repetitive pattern in the drums & guitar that doesn’t get covered up by the often safe vocals – his voice, when he’s really experimenting with the range it can take on these instrumentals, can sound super good, but he plays it really safe on a lot of these, and as such, it sort of inconsistently shifts between engaged & disinterested. Sort of like the Britney Spears album we got, there are points where his conviction feels a little half-baked & it just feels off. However, all of those criticisms are partially from my listening style – there were points on this album where I did just sort of toss the lyrics aside, tried to sort of zone out & just let the music come to me, and those moments, while hit & miss, did click pretty well when a zen state kinda came to me. That said, it was just as easy to snap out of that zen state when something more abrasive or audibly awkward came in; the out of key guitar on “You Can't Quit Me Baby” & the harsh electronica/synth work that ends the album are the two biggest examples here. As a whole, I did enjoy this, but it’s clearly not at the same level as its contemporaries, at least on a first pass – it’s not as refined, it feels a little too garage-y at points, and it doesn’t do a great job of filling its emptier vocal space. I’ve read reviews that say their later work, when an actual full band comes in, is significantly better & arguably landmark worthy, and I’m willing to believe that. This isn’t a bad album, it just didn’t click well for me. I can hear the potential for sure, and there are some good tracks on this. It’s just not a great experience, at least for me, hence the 3.5 bumped down to a 3.
Nice listen, nothing particularly intrigued me though. 7/10
Meh. Boring guitar, boring lyrics, just another rock band banging away and saying nothing much.
Wish Green Day, but without any melodies.
Favorite Track: Regular John
Not really my thing and I likely won't choose to listen to it again. So, two stars.
Totally boring and unoriginal. Terrible album. 3/10
Between a 7 and an 8 on this one. Favorite Songs: You Can't Quit Me Baby / Spiders and Vinegaroons
The fact this came out in 98 is crazy. There is almost nothing going on. It's just a wall of hard rock (derogatory). It doesn't even have context to help support lackluster and uninteresting musicianship. You had decades of rock music to work off of and this is what you come up with? As for the vocals, has Josh Homme considered adding any life to his delivery? I'm not even sure if drugs would help this one. Rating: 4/10 Favorite Song: Avon
6/10 Not really my bag, feels derivative and not super inventive but I know these guys can play so props to them.
Not worth a second listen
It’s definitely a QOTSA album. Hard riffs and a bunch of buzzy feedback. Vocals were the difference compared to albums that followed. Regular John started off the album with musical intention. Vocals were a bit pitchy and high octave. I was into the weird I Was a Teenage Hand Model closer. Top 3 Tracks: 1. Mexicola 2. I Was a Teenage Hand Model 3. Regular John 6.5/10
Varenda låt låter ju likadant.
As much as i love qotsa this is not my favourite album. it has my favourite song of theirs though
I don't think we needed the three extra tracks on the reissue but they don't quite cost the album any stars here. It just feels more frontloaded with the added songs than the original release does.
All the pieces are there, and I appreciate QOTSA for including a couple of genuinely interesting instrumental tracks here, but I think it's hard for me to think anything else knowing QOTSA's most invigorating works are just around the corner.
I had never listened to any Queens of the Stone Age knowingly, and around the time this album came out, I was deep into down south rap. I’m always intrigued to go back to releases I missed while being into other genres, especially late 90s through mid 2000s. This album was fun and I enjoyed it, but I can't say I felt like I missed much by not hearing it at the time.
duplicate
This might be the most repetitive album I've had the displeasure of listening to
One of the best bands of all time
Laid back most of the time. It sounds great, but it lacks the thickness and intensity of tone that I want out of the stoner rock/doom genre. Basically Kyuss > QotSA Still an excellent album and one that I am enjoying jamming while getting some work done today.
Very grungy not quite my style but a pretty good album, the overall sound put me off a bit though.
The last track is unforgivable. Imagine listening to those god damn bleep bloops with earphones. Just annoying as fuck. Ruined the whole thing Pretentious boring dross
Good music
Day414 - not the album from them i expected but it’s fun,kinda gross and it rocks
some very great songs, but also a little bit annoying at times
it’s bland and forgettable , where it tired to be more experimental it doesn’t hit for me
Not bad, especially as I don't generally like their genre.
It’s really only the first few songs that are as good as anything on the next few albums, and the bonus tracks don’t really help much. Never really the same when they got rid of the bass player who got his dick out.
Like every other QOTSA album I’ve listened to, this is largely uninteresting rock moments with a few great moments over far too long of a run time. Doesn’t have one high that comes even close to some of their other albums, and the lows are generally lower. I do not like this band very much! The stereo output on this thing is kinda cool tho.
Debut album with most of the QOTSA sound. I'd never heard it before but it was better than I'd expected. That being said, it pales in comparison to some of their later works.
Not a super intentional listen but a cool rock album. Nothing really hooked me personally but I think I get the appeal. Like spiders and vinegaroons. Solid rhythm guitar playing throughout. 3
Wasn't bad.
i do like queens of the stone age but the fact that they've been around so long does make it sound a little generic
Like every other QOTSA album, some interesting highs but too much meandering music that goes nowhere. Josh Hommes voice can get very grating.
Cool album Another love song was a standout. Some interesting harmonies too
Intensives power geladenes Stone Rock Album. Es sind gut abgestimmte harte Gitarren Sounds mit interessanten Trance und Vocal Elementen. Kein Song ist wirklich langweilig. Jeder Song unterscheiden sich gerade soviel von den anderen, dass das Album insgesamt noch ein Kunstwerk ist. Die Sogs haben oft ein tolles finish. Tolle Songs sind „Regular John“, „Avon“, „If Only“, „Walking on the Sidewalk“, „The Bronze“ und mein Geheimtipp „Spiders on The Vineguaeds“.
Зроблю відео в ТТ)
I quite like this sort of thing. It didn't set me on fire, though. Decent.
Ik vind de queens normaal wel goed maar dit is matig 2.4
Not my fav but enjoyable rock
I enjoyed this album a lot. Great rock and instrumentals
82% Best: If Only; How to Handle a Rope (A Lesson in the Lariat); You Can’t Quit Me Baby Must-Hear? I like it, but Songs for the Deaf should have been chosen over this. Therefore, no. Go listen to Songs for the Deaf.
I mean, sure. Why not? I guess. Never been a huge Queens of the Stone Age fan. I understand this album being on the list, but I still don’t like it much.
Boring. It’s not new, it’s not challenging it’s not even noodley and angering. It’s just nothing. I wouldn’t even want it as background noise.
I like QotSA, but this album seemed a little repetitive. I really like the overall sound, but the repetition is not for me. Sometimes it's bearable, other times just not at all! I think other albums are better.
I don't like the frontman of this nor the album cover ig 2 stars I could listen to other stoner rock I like the frontperson for
Very ok meh Grunge rock
I find it fascinating that if you're going to include only one QOTSA album on this list, the one they pick is the self-titled debut. Not to disparage the album in any means, but surely Songs For The Deaf stands as a bigger and more exciting album. Maybe because this was a somewhat fresh sound compared to everything else coming out at the time and SFTD feels more radio ready but still QOTSA vibe. Still a killer record, just questioning why this over another album from their catalog
Never really considerd this one of the better QOTSA albums which is why I found it interesting that this was here. Either way I'm not going to complain (as long as Like Clockwork and Songs For the Deaf are also here) 8/10
A classic debut album that catapulted Queen of the Stone Age to the Grunge Rock forefront. I’m a big fan of grunge. However, QOTSA isn’t my go to in this genre. There wasn’t a great enough balance between distortion and melody. I enjoyed the album but it didn’t resonate with me as much as I wanted it to… Favorites: Regular John, If Only, How to Handle a Rope
not bad but not for me
While not as strong as some of their other albums, this one has a lot of fun songs. I was always a sucker for “I Was a Teenage Hand Model.” There are a few songs that are a bit clunky, but overall a strong album. 3.5.
As always, QOTSA has a fantastic guitar sound... last couple songs wane on a little too long for me.
Meh
Very cool. Enjoyed this a lot.
This list has a habit of passing up an artist’s best work for the debut - it happened with Tom Petty, System Of A Down, Foo Fighters, and this. None of the debuts are bad albums, but the artists should have had different picks if they were only getting one. But anyway this is still pretty good. It feels different from their other albums in a way, probably because they were just getting started.
Serviceable. Can tell he’s putting on his best Cobian impression on half the songs
Mostly okay, but not something I would normally listen to. It was fine for background noise
Twee nummers in: Denk dat ik het tot nu toe zou aanraden als iemand vraagt naar een rock album zonder poes pas.
Overall I thought this album was pretty good but also had some notable flaws. It was a very mixed bag, which was evident with the tracks from this track list that i did enjoy, the ones I didn’t enjoy and the ones I just felt neutrally or couldn’t make my mind up. There are some really powerful one and some really meh ones. Didn’t quite click with me but I’ll be sure to visit some of his other music after checking out Queen of Denmark.
Ég hef svo oft hlustað á Songs for the Deaf en mun sjaldnar á þessa plötu. Ég fíla alveg Star Wars tilvísanirnar í lokin en það er fullmikið af bíbbum og búbbum til þess að ég geti gefið henni hæstu einkunn
🤟🤟but maybe slightly too long/a bit repetitive. Enjoyed it either way
fine but i was bored there's better options out there if you want this kind of thing
Taking me 2 days to get through this. Unobjectionable 2000s rock but SO repetitive and derivative I was sat waiting for it to be over. 'Hispanic Impressions' was particularly insulting : clearly playing at being experimental but was uncreative and maddening. Sonically the instrumentals are fine but unremarkable, vocals are whiny. Honestly knocking down to a one because of the myriad of better and (emphasis on this one) MORE INFLUENTIAL albums that could be in its place. Just listen to nirvana instead I'm begging you
Ehhhh....nothing really got my attention here at all. The vocals here never grabbed me and I found the guitar parts to be quite uninteresting. There were some songs here I "liked" but nothing here I really "loved." There are plenty of QOTSA songs that I enjoy, but none were here. Liked Songs: "Avon" , "If Only" , "The Bronze"
liked songs: Regular John, The Bronze, Mexicola, Spiders and Vinegaroons This was a fun one. Very stoner-y, which is kind of the reputation that QOTSA has. I want to re-listen to this one with an edible. 3.75
Stands its ground exceptionally well. "If Only" is a banger. 3/5
Ajajaj das ist wieder mal nix :/ So schlimm ist nicht es ist halt einfach nur ganz 🆗👍
The queens kinda of passed me by on the first try. I thought they were fine. After sitting for a compulsory album however I really like them.
Этот альбом невозможно воспринимать в отрыве от контекста. Все 1990-е были неимоверно перегружены музыкой и её разнообразием. Старые идеи и традиции смешивались, дорабатывались, переосмыслялись, а новые жанры появлялись чуть ли не каждый день. QOTSA создавали свой дебют как протест против гранжевого надрыва и поп-панкового бунта. В результате получилась читая, почти первобытная энергия. Альбом Queens of the Stone Age — это лютая смесь пустынного блюза, стоунер-рока и психоделики, которая звучит как рёв раскалённого мотора под палящим солнцем красной пустыни. Бас гудит, ритм-секция скачет как ненормальная, гитары режут пространство, как ножи. Если бы меня попросили описать этот альбом только тремя словами, я бы сказал: неистовый, первобытный и гипнотический. Джош Хомме создал уникальный для своего времени звук, ставший впоследствии визитной карточкой группы: эдакий манифест новой эры рок-музыки. Это саундтрек к крутому роуд-муви по пустыне Мохаве: жаркий, пыльный, с миражами на горизонте.
Solid metall
This album is just plain fun to listen to. Kinda like driving through the desert with hot wind blasting and a mirage ahead of you. I understand about 20% of Josh Homme's voice whenever I listen to a QOTSA song if I'm not reading the lyrics, but that doesn't even matter here. This definitely should be experienced as an entire record.
Love qotsa i feel the desert!!!
absolute classic
Slick licks! Tasty vocals! Rad! Enjoyed that it starts as rock and by the very end was this weird hypnotic electro stuff
This one brought back some memories.... Not their best album, but consistent.
Some songs sound alright, but mostly it doesn't sound super good or interesting.
Singing words at different speeds over the same music.
Kompliziert und ruhig. Für das Genre gar nicht schlecht! 3,4
Didn't realise there was an earlier album than rated R. Very much enjoyed it. Will be keeping in my music library for sure.
Was expecting something a little different, and maybe a little more. Sounds surprisingly Soundgarden-esque stoner rock with only flashes of the Desert Rock sound I was really looking for...
I was surprised how much I was almost enjoying this, but as I’m finding throughout this exercise albums of an hour or more generally lose me after the halfway mark. Solid enough, but reiterated why I never really went for grunge generally
American 90s rock. Quite hard.
Musikalisch ganz ok. Cover würde mich vom Kauf abhalten!
One of the best "recent" rock bands. Kinda weird that this made the list over R Rated, Like Clockwork and Songs for the Deaf though. Those are much better albums.
Average
Interesting album. Unexpected but brilliant.
Regular John was recognizable, and the guitar outro of You Can’t Quit Me Baby was the best part of the album. Pretty good rock collection going on here.
Sonido bastante pesado, pero nada mal. Me gustaron mucho las canciones puramente instrumentales y el vocalista me convence bastante.
Starts strong, but becomes a bit repetitive. A credible exemplar of its genre.
boring rock
The small amount of QotSA that I've brushed up against never really tickled my fancy and the first spin of this record was no different. However, I really came around on the second listen. Lots of creativity on display amid the obvious chaos and noise.
Dirge. Never did see what the fuss was about and album doesn't even have That One Song.
Songs for the Deaf is just way better of an album. I enjoyed this album but it's not perfect.
Enjoyable rock album, if a bit repetitive 3/5
Not my thing
Sort of timeless, sleazy rock. Very Josh Homme. Obviously. Not much depth, but not everything needs it. I enjoyed it, I’d listen to it again.
honestly this just sounds like if early radiohead were american and therefore slightly worse (ESPECIALLY the first song). i really expected this to be shit but it’s perfectly fine. the drums are mad boring but i like most of the other elements of the songs especially the quieter ones. the album was way too long tho. fav tracks: regular john; i was a teenage hand model [even with all the stupid sound effects]
I started this a few times and then gave up sorry. It wasn’t horrible I just didn’t feel like listening to that
Nothing grabbed me, but the sound was solid overall. The vocals weren't terribly interesting either. My favorite song was the outro, sans the final minute (which was hilarious).
Der er nogle bangers på, men det er til gengæld et virkelig langt album der ikke rigtigt kommer ud over den ene tone, den sætter. Stor 3’er
Meget groovy! Håber ikke det er den eneste qotsa plade, jeg kan altså bedre lide de to der kommer efter
Omfg that bass tone is killing me! The drums are so hypnotizing, the guitar is a defining factor of my general music taste! This is so fucking good!
Kom mér ánægjulega á óvart, enda hafa kynni mín verið Greatest-hits-leg hingað til og það var ekkert lag hér sem ég mundi eftir að hafa heyrt áður. En þetta var skemmtilegt, hresst á köflum og aldrei leiðinlegt.
This is the first album in our run of this project that I already know well. QOTSA has been a favorite of mine ever since Songs for the Deaf, so I like all their albums to varying degrees. Josh kicked things off by laying the groundwork throughout this album, and spent the subsequent albums building and improving on that foundation. I really enjoy this album through "Mexicola", but the rest of the songs after it overstay their welcome. And while that makes for a challenging final stretch that I respect (none of the other albums I've heard from this list so far have been this abrasive or proudly weird) it can also get on my nerves sometimes. For me it's really half of a great album. Thankfully that gets better from here, but it also means that this is my least favorite of their albums. Technically this is a 3.5 for me, but there's no option for that on here that I can figure out.
Kyllähän Queens of the Stone Age venyttää osaa, mutta tämä oli jo lähes extremeä: aivan liian pitkä, turhaa kilistelyä, kyllästyin. Bändin oma soundikaan ei päässyt oikeuksiinsa.
He aloittavat albumin todellisella, no, energialla - vähän kuin grungempi Hellacopters. Kokonaisuus on kuitenkin pitkä, junnaava ja raskas. Ai kutsutaanko tätä "stoner rockiksi"? Okei.
Kind of a forgettable album for me. I was never into them and I still think they are just okay. I'm not sorry I listened to it, it's good for a background track while working or something like that. Wouldn't go out of my way to hear it again though.
Just loved it... what's more to say?!?! ;-)
5/5. This album does not get boring despite it's length and lack of diversity. Each song still feels unique and actually heavy while still being accessible. The desert stoner metal is strong in this one and several genres I'm already a fan of. I have listened to the hits before but never the full album. Glad this came up so I could experience it. Awesome stuff and great concept as well, dark and foreboding throughout while still being manic and wild. Best Song: No One Knows, First It Giveth, Mosquito Song
4.5
Did not finish. I don’t know if my stomach illness was just a coincidence, but I’m sure this didn’t help.
Good grungy rock. I like it.
Dad rock meets Stone Temple Pilots and it makes for a nondescript, generic 90s but album
Mexicola is one of my favourite songs. Other strong tracks on here but as always with QOTSA a fair bit of guff
I liked this less the longer it went on but it's still decent enough
This sounds a lot like the B sides from the first Foo Fighters record. Queens would go on to make some really awesome music. But this is not the best freshman record. Which is totally fine. Just not sure why it's on this list. Towards the end, there is a lot of wasted time. Hour long records are not a requirement.
Meh, didn't like it, nether I hated it
A prime example of the wrong album by a great band being on the list. Songs for the Deaf is the obvious choice, with Like Clockwork being a fantastic later album, and Rated R also deserving of a spot. The self-titled debut is promising but never quite reaches its full potential, with swaggering riffs and that classic QotSA attitude but nothing as memorable or impactful as their later work
groovy
At first this started out seemingly cool, but I got bored of it relatively quick. It’s a riffy album - little riffs of hypnotic repeating (almost droney sometimes) fuzzy chords under decent creamy lead riffs. The guitar tones are what I like most here. It’s certainly got that hazy stoner sound that can envelope you in a distinct way from a More overt psychedelic sound. While a few songs pack a punch, the ones that don’t are somewhat bland and generic rock-y. I just have little interest in coming back to this.
Queens of the Stone Age are really good at Just The Right Amount. Just the right amount of melodic variation, of emotion, of sounds vs. silence. Where they really excel is in producing an atmosphere (songs for the deaf will go on to further prove this). Really good rock music that isn’t bogged down by an awful singer
A good intro to this band but the next two albums are the best of them
Not my favourite QotSA album, but even a "not favourite" QotSA album is still good shit.
qotsa was always a band I associated with 2000s era hipsters, and this album is no exception. I was pleasantly surprised to find a good sense of experimentation and non-pop direction, although I think the album still needs a bit more of that to round itself out. Some songs are a bit repetitive, and I think the length of the album could be shorter, but overall, solid album.
Well... It's not bad but also not excellent. It has solid tracks and is the base of stoner rock. Definitely not either two or four stars although you could argue for both ratings, so three must do.
I would guess that critics agree Songs for the Deaf is a better album, but this was easier listening
There's a bit to like in here. Overall it's a good debut. I like the riffs and the guitars in general, and the kind of down and dirty production. There's some propulsive energy to the songs. It has that QOTSA feel to it, with a lot of minor keys. The main criticism I guess is that not enough really stands out. It's all kind of similar.
I think they got better after this - it's a solid if unspectacular debut.
Not as good as their record from a few years later (Songs For The Deaf) but still good energy and strong rhythms that portend good things to come. "If Only" being a ripoff of The Stooges "I Wanna Be Your Dog" takes some of the shine of it being the best track, but there are other standouts. "Regular John", a more metal sounding "How to Handle a Rope", and "You Can't Quit Me Baby".
I liked this, but it's not my favorite Queens album.
Levyllä yksikään biisi ei oikein vienyt mukanaan ja ei tästä oikein jaksanut nauttia. Toinen kuuntelupäivä ei tuonut fiilikseen muutosta joten aavistuksen negatiivinen kokemus.
Ei ollut järin erikoinen. Muu tuotanto, mikä ollut aiemmin kuuntelussa, on ollut reilusti kovempaa
Meh. I didn't hate it, but it was not very appealing to me. I don't really have much to say on this one, it wasn't very interesting.
Cool vibes in instrumentals wish there was more singing. Fav song The Bronze
Some of the songs I really like, others don't really do it for me at all. Not as bad as Kings of Leon but at times I really didn't enjoy the abrasive repetitive guitar songs. Some bangers but overall just okay . 3
I do love me some rhythmic heavy guitar jams. Maybe a bit overlong but it frickin' rocks.
I really remember this being a better album...
2 of my favourite bands in a row. Love this album, I've always thought of it as a bit of an overlap between Kyuss' heavy stuff and QOTSA's later catchy sound, with a little bit of Josh Homme's weirder side coming through like on I Was A Teenage Hand Model and You Would Know. Plenty of crunchy and off kilter riffs that I associate with Josh's style of guitar playing. I personally wish they had gone with the earlier version of If Only from the Kyuss/QOTSA split EP though. Highlights: Mexicola, Regular John, You Would Know, How To Handle A Rope
good timing to be sullen and stoned
This one hit some feels today. Solid hard rock/stoner rock/post grunge album. If Only was a bit of a radio hit in the late 90s but I appreciate that song more now than in the late 90s. Mexicola is a flat out banger. Thin production and slight over length subtracts a star but I'm glad this one made the list. I wouldn't have been disappointed if more QOTSA albums made it but alas, this is the only one.
pretty good debut
I've always found Queens of the Stone Age bland.
Weird choice for a QOTSA album
Not familiar with their first album, but it already rocks!