Them Crooked Vultures

This group debuted a couple months ago, but when I heard about them, I immediately thought, "Why didn't I hear about this sooner?" It was kinda like that Chappelle Show skit where Arsenio Hall punches a guy in the face at a wine and cheese party and goes, "Why didn't you tell me this cheese was so good, motherf***er?" Them Crooked Vultures consists of three greats in hard rock music, all famous with their own bands, all known for collaborating a lot. Josh Homme is the main songwriter, singer, guitairst for Queens of the Stone Age. He got his start with Kyuss and also releases semi-regular albums called the Desert Sessions that can include just about anyone he's friends with in music. John Paul Jones is best known as the bass player/organist/mandolin player for Led Zeppelin. I always wondered why he got kinda ignored in that band, but I think the answer to that question is Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Bonham. Jones has also played and produced with tons of people all over (I saw a clip on Questlove's Myspace page once with Jones, Questlove and Ben Harper playing "Dazed and Confused." Ridiculous.) And Dave Grohl is best known for playing drums for this little band called Nirvana, as well as fronting the Foo Fighters. Grohl has also played drums on my favorite QOTSA album, "Songs for the Deaf," drummed for Probot along with Lemmy from Motorhead, and a couple other projects I haven't heard.

Them Crooked Vultures' self-titled debut has some great tracks on it, but it's not perfect. There are a couple clunkers, but highlights include "Dead End Friends," which sounds like the best of QOTSA and has some really sad lyrics (I had to look them up). "Bandoliers" and "Elephants" are also good, with great instrumental breakdowns. "Scumbag Blues" has a melody and falsetto singing by Homme that remind me of "Strange Brew" by Cream, but that's not a bad thing. If you're gonna be in a hard rock supergroup trio, you might as well reference the best. Vultures' live show has been described by a friend of mine as "loud." You can stream a full concert by Them Crooked Vultures from Austin City Limits on pbs.org.
themcrookedvultures.com