[Today: New releases Tuesday...]
In the late-60′s, Cream introduced the idea of the “super group” but that phenomenon has been overexposed recently as bands regularly break up and splinter off into new all-star lineups (like Audioslave and Velvet Revolver) that I’m supposed to care about but can’t muster up much enthusiasm for. Them Crooked Vultures, though, are worth all their hype and hip-hip-hoorays. Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) are the Vultures in question, and they sound like they’ve been jamming together for years. Homme’s lead vocals lend the album a QOTSA feel, but Jones adds textures and Grohl provides thump that rounds that sound into arena-ready rock. A welcome addition to my music collection…
“May you live in interesting times” is a Chinese curse, but musically these are very interesting times, and I’m happy as a clam to be a part of them. One of the many surpassing wonders of music these days is how genres are starting to imperceptibly blend into one another. Blues + Soul + R&B + Funk + Rock + Hip-Hop + Electronica are sharing many more taxis to the dance than they did even ten years ago. It’s gotten to the point where the idea of a pure-ish durty blues band backing a bunch of hip-hop artists hardly causes a ripple. Yeah, so what? Throw in an accordian and some tap dancing and I’ll be impressed. Dayton, OH’s Black Keys provide the slurring, slightly psychedelic blues, while MCs like RZA, Mos Def, Ludacris and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard drop the rhymes. Intoxicating…
