After a six-year hiatus, Queens of the Stone Age are back with a new album and a new single that showcases their trademark blend of hard rock and psychedelia. The album, titled In Times New Roman…, is set to be released on June 16th via Matador Records. The first single, Emotion Sickness, is a catchy and energetic track dealing with a broken relationship's aftermath.
Emotion Sickness is the ninth track on the album, and it features Josh Homme's distinctive vocals over a driving guitar riff and a pulsating rhythm section. The lyrics are bitter and sarcastic, as Homme sings about his ex-lover's indifference and his own detachment: "Baby don't care for me / Had to let her go / People come & go on the breeze / For a whole life? Possibly / I don't really know". The song also has a catchy chorus that repeats the phrase "emotion sickness" over and over, creating a hypnotic effect.
The song is one of the first glimpses into Homme's personal life since his divorce from Brody Dalle, the former frontwoman of The Distillers and Spinnerette. The couple split in 2019 after 14 years of marriage and three children. Since then, they have been involved in a legal battle over custody and restraining orders, with both parties accusing each other of abuse and harassment. Homme has also faced other controversies, such as kicking a photographer in the head during a concert in 2017 and being sued by his former bandmates in Kyuss for trademark infringement.
Despite these troubles, Homme has not stopped making music. He has collaborated with artists such as Iggy Pop, Arctic Monkeys, Dave Grohl, and Billy Gibbons. He has also released two albums with his side project Desert Sessions, featuring guest musicians such as Les Claypool, Jake Shears, Mike Kerr, and Stella Mozgawa. He has also produced albums for other bands, such as Royal Blood, CRX, and Mini Mansions.
In Times New Roman… is the eighth studio album by Queens of the Stone Age, and it follows 2017's Villains, which received mixed reviews from critics and fans. The new album was recorded and mixed at Homme's own Pink Duck studios, with additional recording at Shangri-La. It was produced by Queens of the Stone Age and mixed by Mark Rankin. The album features 10 tracks, with titles such as Obscenery, Paper Machete, Negative Space, Time & Place, Made to Parade, Carnavoyeur , What the Peephole Say, Sicily, Emotion Sickness, and Straight Jacket Fitting.
According to the band's press release, the album is "the sound of a band creating the music its own members want to hear, while giving the rest of us a sonic forum in which to congregate". The band also describes the album as "a celebration of life in all its glorious highs and lows". The album cover features a stylized image of a skull with a crown of thorns and roses.
Queens of the Stone Age have also announced a world tour to support the album, starting in June 2023. The tour will include dates in Europe and North America, with support from Coach Party. The band will also play at various festivals, such as Southside Festival, Pinkpop Festival, Hurricane Festival, Roskilde Festival, Open'er Festival , Rock Werchter Festival , Mad Cool Festival , NOS Alive Festival , among others.
Queens of the Stone Age are one of the most influential and successful rock bands of the 21st century. They have sold over 12 million albums worldwide and have been nominated for seven Grammy Awards. They have also been praised for their live performances and their musical diversity. They have experimented with various genres and styles, such as stoner rock , desert rock , blues rock , alternative rock , hard rock , heavy metal , punk rock , dance rock , glam rock , pop rock , and electronic rock . They have also collaborated with many artists from different backgrounds and scenes.
The track listing is:
01. Obscenery
02. Paper Machete
03 Negative Space
04. Time & Place
05. Made To Parade
06. Carnavoyeur
07. What The Peephole Say
08. Sicily
09. Emotion Sickness
10. Straight Jacket Fitting
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New music