Queens Of The Stone Age ERA VULGARIS

Queens of the Stone Age: Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Joey Castillo.
Audio Mixers: Joe Barresi; Alain Johannes.
Recording information: Cherokee studios; Los Angeles Steakhouse Studios; Studio City Sound City Studios. Van Nuys.
Illustrator: Jason Noto.
This is Queens of the Stone Age's fourth full-length and second without founder Nick Oliveri. Perhaps the most ambitious and intricately made album thus far in the QOTSA catalog, ERA VULGARIS makes clear that this is Josh Homme's band through and through. The album still contains the band's trademark rock muscle and fierce riffage, as "Sick Sick Sick" and "Misfit Love" prove. But there's also a charming synthetic sexiness to tracks such as "Battery Acid" and "I'm A Designer" that Homme clearly revels in, and that one can't help thinking was slightly stifled by the more rockist Oliveri. And while there's still plenty of QOTSA's sun-baked acid vibe throughout, it comes via the white noise and ultra-violet burn of 21st-century Los Angeles. This is decadent cyber-punk choogle ready-made for a pre-Apocalypse party at the QOTSA manor. Mark Lanegan and Julian Casablancas guest on vocals.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop