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Them Crooked Vultures

Them Crooked Vultures is a supergroup of sorts: comprising Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age) & John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) - quite a combination. Does it say something about the state of the nation? I‘m not sure. These groups often raise their heads in rock's darkest hours, symbolic of inspiration running low and musicians’ egos going out of control. Them Crooked Vultures perfectly fit the classic supergroup model. There‘s the jokey name and song titles, such as 'Interlude With 'Ludes’, ‘Caligulove’, ‘Mind Eraser’, ‘No Chaser’, amongst others. For the most part Them Crooked Vultures sound exactly like you would expect them to sound, right down to the knowing nods to the members' previous bands. The buzz surrounding Them Crooked Vultures has been exceptional in recent weeks, with rumours of unannounced live appearances in the UK. The trio’s debut album is a blend of the three members’ back catalogue highlights. Inevitably, given that he is their singer, the band that Them Crooked Vultures most closely resemble is Homme’s Queens Of The Stone Age. His dense punk/metal riffs scale colossal new heights of super charged intensity, though many of the catchy songs are designed to highlight the considerable talents of his bandmates. The album is generally well crafted from start to finish. The appeal of Them Crooked Vultures relies as much on their audience's willingness to hero-worship the participants as it does on their music. That's what supergroups are like. I'd like to see these carry on further, not just have this as a one-off or occasional project. Australia will receive its dose of the trio when they play dates in Australia in late January 2010.