Three 65, Day 8
Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures

Supergroups don't always work - too many egos in too little space, too many voices fighting for constant recognition. Everybody wants to be a star of the show. A refreshing reminder that sometimes, supergroups do work, is the debut self-titled album from Them Crooked Vultures, a three-piece consisting of Foo Fighters-founder and Nirvana drummer extraordinaire Dave Grohl, Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.

From the opening strains of the double entendre-laden "No One Loves Me & Neither Do I," it's clear this is a powerhouse of a record. Everyone is on point here: the drums kill, the bass is spry and nimble, and Homme has never sounded better as both a vocalist and a guitarist.

But there's more to this album than mere musicianship; the songwriting is top notch, too. (Sure, the lyrics are mostly forgettable fluff about drugs and sex, but hey, that's rock and roll. No one goes to a group like Them Crooked Vultures expecting the lyrical insight of, say, The Mountain Goats. It's just not required.) The stuttering guitar on "Mind Eraser, No Chaser," the opening notes of the crushing "Elephants," and the intricate band interplay on "Gunman" all point to professionals doing what they do best: writing great songs.

Also of great interest is "Interlude With Ludes": if this song doesn't make you feel like you're on drugs, you might be dead. Ahead of a woozy bass line and bizarre electronics, Homme intones lines like "On the good ship Lolligag / LSD & a bloody pile of rags / I hate to be the bearer of bad news / But I am..."

Unfortunately, the band hasn't yet recorded anything else, but another album is, according to Jones, in the works. Something to look forward to!