Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

What do you get when you cross Led Zep’s John Paul Jones with Jimmy Page worshipper and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, and Dave Grohl – arguably the rightful heir to John Bonham’s drum stool? The new Queens of the Stone Age album, that’s what - backed by the best rhythm section this side of a 'dream team' pub discussion. Josh Homme’s effeminate ‘Ginger Elvis’ vocals and distinct thrummy guitar dominate proceedings (making QOTSA the logical touchstone), with Jones and Grohl providing the drive, changing direction on a pinhead, piling riff upon riff, each of them playing a different tempo (see Elephants – a groovy lick propelled by incessant drum and bass). Wah-drenched leads splatter the already Pollock-esque canvas, backwards loops and Jones’ mellotron, mandolin and slide lending depth (as on Physical Graffiti). It's loud, idiosyncratic, and – for three older blokes with beer bellies - suprisingly sexy. [Stephen Toman]