Aug. 2000 - CMJ: Rated R Review 2
by Ian Christie
If it's not too late to hop aboard the Queens Of The Stone Age bandwagon for a couple of blocks, let me start by saying the second album is cure for general falseness. Rated R (Interscope) submits a vision of guitar rock that upends the insincerity of Fu Manchu, standing up for 95% of Americans who love rock free from the demands of the lifestyle industry. This band is a simple, even familiar, big amp equation expressed with sincerity. In most ways, the Queens resemble the playful Flaming Lips with a savage Black Flag guitar edge. The group does delve into darker terrain with tracks like "Tension Head," but most of their music isn't metal. That's not because it's influenced by The Who and The Beatles, but because it's so repetitous and soothing. The revolutionary thing about this band is it's confident, steady joy--so cool your heels and enjoy a stalled motor.

issue no. 84

Thanks to Jay Kloosterman for typing this up!

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