Rated R

by Queens of the Stone Age

Overview

The second Queens of the Stone Age album, Rated R (as in the movie rating; its title was changed from II at the last minute before release), makes its stoner rock affiliations clear right from the opening track. The lyrics of "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" consist entirely of a one-line list of recreational drugs that Josh Homme rattles off over and over, a gag that gets pretty tiresome by the end of the song (and certainly doesn't need the reprise that follows "In the Fade"). Fortunately, the rest of the material is up to snuff. R is mellower, trippier, and more arranged than its predecessor, making its point through warm fuzz-guitar tones, ethereal harmonies, vibraphones, horns, and even the odd steel drum. That might alienate listeners who have come to expect a crunchier guitar attack, but even though it's not really aggro, R is still far heavier than the garage punk and grunge that inform much of the record. It's still got the vaunted California-desert vibes of Kyuss, but it evokes a more relaxed, spacious, twilight feel, as opposed to a high-noon meltdown. Mark Lanegan and Barrett Martin of the Screaming Trees both appear on multiple tracks, and their band's psychedelic grunge -- in its warmer, less noisy moments -- is actually not a bad point of comparison. Longtime Kyuss fans might be disappointed at the relative lack of heaviness, but R's direction was hinted at on the first QOTSA album, and Homme's experimentation really opens up the band's sound, pointing to exciting new directions for heavy guitar rock in the new millennium. ~ Steve Huey

Product Details

Release Date:	02/25/2003
Label:	Intes
UPC:	0606949086411
Rank:	24187

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Queens of the Stone Age   Primary Artist
Barrett Martin   Guest Artist,Percussion,Vibraphone,Drums (Steel)
Mark Lanegan   Guest Artist,Vocals,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Rob Halford   Guest Artist,Vocals (Background)
Dave Catching   Organ,Piano,Guitar,Keyboards,Lap Steel Guitar,Piano (Electric),Guitar (12 String)
Chris Goss   Bass,Piano,Percussion,Piano (Grand),Vocals (Background)
Peter Stahl   Vocals (Background)
Natasha Schneider   Piano
Scott Mayo   Horn,Sax (Baritone)
Martin Schmelzle   Sequencing
Nick Oliveri   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Percussion,Lead Vocals,Guitar (Baritone),Vocals (Background)
Mike Johnson   Vocals (Background),Vocals (Background)
Marek   Noise
Josh Homme   Drums,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Percussion,Lead Guitar,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Brendon McNichol   Guitar
Gene Trautmann   Drums
Fernando Pullum   Horn,Flugelhorn
Nick Lucero   Drums,Percussion
Nick Eldorado   Vocals (Background)
Reggie Young   Horn
Wendy Ray Moan   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Trina Shoemaker   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer,Sound Technician
Mario Lalli   Composer
Dave Catching   Composer
Chris Goss   Producer
Barrett Martin   Vibe Master
Nicky Alexander   Drum Technician
Benjamin Bossi   Composer
Debora Iyall   Composer
Natasha Schneider   Technician
John McBain   Composer
Jose Hernandez   Composer
Mark Lanegan   Composer
Brian Gardner   Mastering
Ray Davies   Composer
Martin Schmelzle   Assembly,Engineer
Nick Oliveri   Concept,Composer,Art Conception
Alfredo Hernandez   Composer,Composer
Bradley Cook   Engineer
Alain Johannes   Producer,Technician,Drum Technician,Mixing Engineer,Sound Technician
Gersh   Drum Technician
Marek   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Josh Homme   Mixing,Concept,Composer,Producer,Mixing Engineer
Larry Carter   Composer
Peter Woods   Composer
Frank Zincavage   Composer
Sarah Gaston   Producer
Robert Brunner   Pre-Production,Pre-Production Assistant
Dan Druff   Guitar Technician
Francesca Restrepo   Art Direction
Shivaun O'Brien   Studio Coordinator
Dave Catchings   Composer
Peter J. Woods   Composer
Jose Alfredo Hernandez   Composer
Donald Lyles   Sound Technician