These days, rock music remains as prevalent as ever. Though genres fall in and out of fashion as bands seek to break new ground, the fact remains that the guitar-bass-drums-singer combo is here to stay. As most groups look forward, with some transcending genres even as they reinvent them a la Beck, a few look back. One such band is Eagles of Death Metal. This band worships at the altar of The Rolling Stones and T-Rex and feels that there is a real lack of old-school, good-times music. The group's latest, "Heart On," which seeks to inspire the listener to dance all of their troubles away, delivers an excellent set of toe-tappers and hip-shakers, with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
For the uninitiated, Eagles of Death Metal thankfully sound nothing like either The Eagles or death metal; the name is merely an in-joke among members of the band. Initially a side project of drummer Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), the reins are entirely in the hands of mustachioed singer/guitarist Jesse Hughes, while the king of desert rock is relegated to drum duty. Though the two derive much stylistically from classic rock days of yore, they do not solely rely on the past and manage to create a refreshing brand of boogie rock.
Take the one-two punch of the album's first tracks. "Anything 'Cept the Truth" is an even-keeled, mid-tempo anthem, driven by a wall of fuzzy guitar sounds and the ever-present problem of the opposite sex. It doesn't exactly break new ground, but it certainly is catchy. Following it is "Wannabe in LA," which kicks up the tempo and trades in the fuzz for a Stones-esque twang. If you're not moving by the end of this song, it's quite possible that you might be dead.
But unlike so many other records, "Heart On" isn't front-loaded with a bunch of singles and followed up by filler. It takes chances, early and often. "Now I'm a Fool" is a surprisingly tender number, allegedly about Hughes' feelings for tattoo artist Kat Von D. It creates a warm, open sound driven by acoustic guitars and bolstered by some stronger-than-usual singing. And though it is slow, it's not quite a ballad, and it still possesses a beat -- as though it's reluctant to break momentum.
These first three tracks exemplify the types of songs found on the album, and the band certainly doesn't stray too far from the sex, drugs and rock and roll archetype it loves so much (rivaled only by Red Hot Chili Peppers for number of songs about California). But that doesn't mean that there are no more punches to pack a quarter of the way through. See the gritty, electric stomp of "High Voltage" and "I'm Your Torpedo" (how's that for innuendo?) and the dark yet playful "Cheap Thrills" and "Solo Flights." The latter may be the best mainstream song about masturbation since Pink's "U + Ur Hand" (2006). Best of all is "How Can a Man With So Many Friends Feel So Alone?" which pairs vintage classic rock riffs with a distinctly Homme production style and guitar solo.
In fact, Homme's influence is heard more strongly than ever on this record, much to the album's credit, as he and Hughes seem to be pushing each other into new territory. So while one, if familiar with his work, can easily recognize his studio touches and song arrangements -- think George's influence on Ringo's "Octopus's Garden" (1969) -- these never distract from Hughes' songwriting.
While their first album, "Peace, Love, Death Metal" (2004), was a lo-fi exercise in bluesy basics, and they brought sexy back long before Justin Timberlake with their riff-tastic 2006 follow-up, "Death By Sexy," Eagles of Death Metal are now at a sort of middle ground.
"Heart On" doesn't just borrow from both records; it's a step forward for the band in terms of songwriting, production and group dynamics, while still maintaining a sense of fun. The band doesn't take itself seriously, but Hughes and Homme absolutely take what they do seriously, which is exactly what makes "Heart On" such a success.
