I’m a far cry from the first person to say that “super” groups are usually anything but. A collaboration of key players from two or more wildly popular bands sounds great on paper, but in practice usually ends with large egos, broken noses and poor song writing. Occasionally these super groups provide a glimpse of what could have been but it is only a glimpse. Now along comes Them Crooked Vultures, a band that has done without super-sized egos, super-sized hype and instead came out swinging with super-sized songs. The fact that they have thus far been able to contain their egos is a feat unto itself considering who the band members are. Dave Grohl of Nirvana and The Foo Fighters on Drums, John Paul Jones of Led Zepplin on bass, and Josh Homme of Queens of the Stoneage and Eagles of Death Metal on Guitar and Vocals.
Them Crooked Vultures bring rock music back to a time, when music was loud, brash, a little dark and most importantly fun. Each of the three members bring to Vultures what they brought so well to their myriad of other bands.
Grohl’s drums are loud, snappy and in a constant state of crashing around you. Jones’s bass is as funky and as heavy as anything he every did with Led Zepplin and Homme’s guitars have never been more eclectic, nor have they ever been more electrifying. Tracks like “Elephant” are sure to make their way to Guitar Hero and Rock Band.
While songs like “Elephant” are a workshop on guitar playing others like “Scumbag Blues” and “Caligulove” are fantastic examples of bass and drum heavy, dance ready, hard rock numbers.
The real standouts of the album are two of the earlier tracks, “Mind Eraser, No Chaser” and “New Fang.” Both are prime examples of three of our best musicians coming together and bringing all their creative energy to the forefront.
That these three immensely talented and respected musicians were able to come together, do away with clashing egos and produce an album as stellar as this is no small feet.
Whether Them Crooked Vultures record together again or simply grace us with this one album remains to be seen. But what is certain is that this is an album that is not easily forgotten.
