Put John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal) and Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) in a band together, and you’re bound to grab people’s attention. Them Crooked Vultures, the new supergroup featuring those three musicians, has done just that, with old-school rock fans and critics falling all over themselves to declare this the second coming of classic rock ’n’ roll.
The Details
Them Crooked Vultures’ self-titled debut is less that than a mildly entertaining retread of same, with Homme (who handles guitar and vocal duties) clearly taking the lead, although all three members are credited with songwriting. TCV’s songs sound very close to Queens of the Stone Age’s sludgy retro-rock, which is already heavily Zeppelin-influenced (there’s a lot of Cream and The Doors on display here, too). What the songs lack, though, is the power and immediacy of Zeppelin; even Zeppelin’s 10-minute epics packed more punch than the meandering, same-sounding songs here, several of which head past seven minutes for no discernible reason.
Grohl’s solid power-pop instincts have taken a break as well, although it’s a treat to hear his excellent drumming again. This, like a lot of supergroups, is more about three guys getting together and having fun than it is about creating innovative music, and while it’s tolerable to listen to, Them Crooked Vultures is definitely less than the sum of its parts.
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