Released on 14/03/05
Label: Interscope

After a year in which Queens Of The Stone Age fully embraced the ethos of BBC2’s "Life Laundry" (“These band members just clutter Josh. Get rid of them.”) “Little Sister” sounds remarkably chipper for a ‘divorce’ record; so determined was Homme that new album “Lullabies To Paralyze” not be the sound of a band breaking-up.

Neither do the line-up changes frig with the formula. While accepting that the rhythm section isn’t all it could be (half of it isn’t naked, for starters) that’s more than made-up for by the fabulously monged guitar squeal that turns up one minute in and sounds like Thin Lizzy’s Gary Moore playing a stylophone. Apparently recorded in a single take, this is the sound of Josh Homme joyously at ease with what he does. He even directed the video himself.

Nothing can stop him now…except maybe a pulmonary infection. Cough!

    by Tim Chipping