Queens of the Stone Age -- "Era Vulgaris"

Here's a question for you, alt-rock hipster kids: what does Josh Homme have in common with Kurt Cobain, Thom Yorke, Billy Corgan, Isaac Brock, and just about every other 90s singer/guitarist in a pioneering indie band? He and his band, Queens of the Stone Age, have gained a huge mainstream following without really wanting it. Due in large part to the band's two uber-hits--"No One Knows" and "Little Sister"--Queens have gained a much-undeserved reputation as pop-oriented rockers who seek to equally please pot-smoking, Led-Zeppelin-worshipping, baggy-jeans wearing 12-year-olds and preppy kids the world over. A cursory listen to "Era Vulgaris" proves that Homme (the band's one constant member) has other plans.

From the jarring opener, "Turnin' on the Screw," it's clear that J. Ho (as he's known affectionately by hardcore fans) has no desire to stay in the limelight. Very few, if any of the songs, actually stay in key: with this album, Homme has created a carefully-calculated series of musical disasters, much like his forebears in bands like Black Flag, Sleep, and Sonic Youth. This is music that is intended to drive away the legions of pseudo-fans that he won with 2005's "Lullabies to Paralyze." As evidenced by the album's first single, "Sick, Sick, Sick," our dearest Josh wants nothing more than to lock himself in the studio and record music that will piss off his record label and his newfound fans.

In summary: QOTSA gleefully destroy their popularity by reaching back into their collection of 80s hardcore vinyls--with gut-busting results.

Overall score: 7.5/10