Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just Fabulous, 25 Mar 2005
The rush of lengthy reviews for this album are a little tiresome, as is the ridiculous snobery of the reviewer who assumes that a fellow reviewer hasn't listened to QOTSA albums before 'Songs for the Deaf'simply because he alludes to the absence of Dave Grohl- get over yourself man!! The politics aside, this album is a joy. Guitar heaven from start to finish; highlights are the lush 'I never came' which does not 'drag on' as stated by a previous reviewer, but highlights the versatility of Nick's voice, and in placing this track straight after the excellent lead single 'Little Sister' ensures maximum impact. Other high points include CD opener 'This Lullaby' and the fantastic 'Broken Box'. As a whole, the album flows beautifully, yet is more experimental than 'Rated R' and 'SFTD'. Personally speaking I would say 'Lullabies To Paralyze' is the most complete QOTSA album. Bring on Carling Leeds 2005....
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life after Nick....., 15 April 2005
Initial signs for this album weren't promising. The sudden departure of Nick Olivieri marked the departure of the only constant member of Josh Homme's ever-changing QOTSA line-up, and Olivieri seemed as essential to the band as Homme himself. Things could've gone so easily awry for album number 4.
However Josh Homme's track record with other projects (notably Desert Sessions) should've been enough to confirm that he is more than capable of going it alone. Lullabies to Paralyze is a testament to this.
Impressively, the first two songs are knocked off within little more than 3 minutes. The gentle acoustics and tortured-larynx Mark Lanegan vocals of This Lullaby give way to the chugging, razor-sharp Medication, which sounds like a two-minute statement of intent.
The following track is arguably the album's highlight. Everybody Knows That You're Insane starts up as a wailing rock dirge, before a neat shift in tempo takes you into the simple and insanely catchy chorus. Tangled Up In Plaid and Burn The Witch are also superb, both stomp-along anthems of the highest order, before the album's most accessible poppy moment, In Your Head (which also appeared in the Desert Sessions).
Little Sister is fine, if somewhat underwhelming as a lead-off single, whilst I Never Came portrays a subtlety previously unregistered in QOTSA's past works. But it's the next two tracks, Someone's In The Wolf and The Blood Is Love that provide the album's backbone. Both lengthy, brooding, power-chord heavy anthems, they sit perfectly alongside one another. Both recall QOTSA's ability to find a great riff, and then completely bludgeon you with it.
The next three tracks show a dramatic shift in mood, and are amongst the sleaziest things QOTSA have done. The fuzzed out Skin On Skin is a lust fuelled romp, "I hate to see you leave, but I like to watch you go" being one of its more subtle lyrics. Broken Box is like Skin On Skin's angry hangover, whilst You Got A Killer Scene slows things down, but is no less sexy.
That leaves Long Slow Goodbye to tie things up. It's a fitting end, beautiful, but forlorn, and complete with trumpet dirge. Oh, and as ever, the bonus tracks are worthwhile additions as well, Like A Drug portraying Homme's songwriting range in the same way The Mosquito Song did on Songs For The Deaf.
To say that Olivieri isn't missed from proceedings would be a little naïve. Ultimately the album lacks a moment as unhinged as, say, Millionaire. But without Nick, Josh Homme has been able to seize the reins fully, and as a result this is QOTSA's most diverse work to date. To say it's better or worse than anything else they've done is like comparing coffee with tea: it's purely a matter of taste. But whether you regard QOTSA as a band or a Josh Homme side-project, the QOTSA name remains a stamp of quality.Key moments: Everybody Knows That You're Insane, Tangled Up In Plaid, Someone's In The Wolf, Long Slow Goodbye
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rock's 1st seminal album of the 21st century, 25 May 2005
By A Customer
Rarely, does an album achieve a totality, in which that it threatens to gatecrash true 'classic' album status. 'Lullabies to Paralyze' is such a work.Those familiar with previous albums such as Rated R, and Songs for the Deaf, may be concerned that with the departure (sacking) of founder member Nick Oliveri, that some of the Queens anarchic magic may be lost. This, sure as hell, is Josh Homme's band now. Oliveri thrash metal gems such as 'Tension Head' are no longer on the menu.
Sentimentality for Oliveri aside, this shift in direction displays far more control, discipline and ingenuity, than in any previous work. Make no mistake however, this is a hard edged, dark, rocker of a Queens album. Where 'Lullabies' departs from previous releases, is in their brand of west coast psychedelic rock (which has always ran parallel to their hard metal aspirations); has been developed and integrated to a better and more consistant effect. 'Lullabies' flows effortlessly from track to track in the way which all 'classic' albums should. It is simply a first track to last journey; there is nowhere to skip a track here or there. Each track is so well constructed and positioned to its neighbours, that it is impossible to offer anything in the way of stand out tracks. It is all superb!! If anything, this cd can be defined by its 2 'bonus tracks' (usually the ones not as good as the duffers on lesser bodies of work). Either could easily be 'stand out' tracks elsewhere.
Indeed the bonus tracks provide the best insight into the balance between blues rock and psychedelia to which this album so skillfully straddles. I'll leave it other reviewers to catalogue 'Lullabies' on a track by track basis. Me, I'm off for a wholely unneccessary drive in my car for the next hour and a bit. A masterpiece!!
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