I think its safe to say that the more recent outputs from desert rock pioneer Josh Homme wouldn't exactly be high on any Uber Rockers list of must have albums.  This reviewer however still likes to dabble in a bit of Californian ginger every now and then and found Them Crooked Vulture's debut an intriguing and highly listen able album.

Rewind a decade though and most people couldn't get enough of Josh's then fast rising band Queens Of The Stone Age.  Having honed their stoner rock skills with cult Indie record label's Man's Ruin and Loose Groove the band suddenly found themselves joining the corporate giant Interscope for their major label debut 'Rated R'

Acquiring Masters of Reality mainman Chris Goss behind the desk to work with Josh was perhaps the masterstroke behind what makes the eleven tracks on this album such finely tuned escape capsules of pure rock bliss. Having more than a little propensity to jam the fuck out of a great tune live (just like Mr Goss), the tracks were honed down into instantly memorable shots of rock delivered directly to central nervous system of the music buying public.

Sitting down and playing this album for the first time in quite a while its reassuring that 'Feel Good Hit Of The Summer' and 'The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret' still retain the timeless quality great songs always seem to posses.  I'm not sure if the album has been remastered at all but I certainly don't remember Rob Halford's voice being quite so prominent on the original version of 'Feel Good'.  Of the rest of the album it is without doubt the most accomplished set of songs from Messers Homme and Oliveri and one listen to the buzz saw garage rock of 'Quick And Pointless' sums up the band's song writing prowess at the time.  No fucker else was writing stuff like this at the time, and for once the mainstream music media all around the world got it right championing the album as one of the best releases of 2000.

I find it almost impossible to believe that anyone out there in Uber Rock world with half an ear for a tune will not already own 'Rated R', but just in case you have been living in a cave somewhere with a load of druids for the last ten years, I can confirm that 'Rated R' is a practically faultless example of great rock music.  From the strutting pop swagger of 'Monsters in Your Parasol' to the hypnotic psychedelic guitar swirl of 'I think I Lost My Headache' there isn't a duff track on here. 

But what about those of us who have 'Rated R' already, is there enough on the Deluxe Edition's second disc for us to unleash the moths at the local record emporium anytime soon?

Well yes and no if I'm honest. 

If you are nerd like me who at the time purchased the band's early singles, then the additional five studio tracks and one live cut from the era featuring the likes of 'Ode To Clarissa' and 'Born To Hula' will not exactly make this a 'must have' purchase.  The nine track live performance from Reading 2000 that follows the studio tracks though is something of a different kettle of frogs and is also something I've not heard before

This set clearly illustrates the band at their live best in a sweaty tent headlining the Carling Premier stage with suitable aplomb.  Introducing each track with a simple "This is a song for you" quip Homme sounds happy and enthused by his band.  Something that we now know wouldn't last for that much longer.

'Rated R' then is a colossus of an album that new generations of rock fans must discover, if you've already discovered it, then this Deluxe Edition is a stunning way of reminding yourself just how important a release it was back at the dawn of the twenty first century.

http://www.myspace.com/queensofthestoneage