Queens of the Stone Age news has been quiet recently with frontman Josh Homme collaborating with Iggy Pop, but Homme offered some big QOTSA news on the Let There Be Talk podcast earlier this week: “Yeah, [QOTSA return is up next on my schedule]. Same lineup, we’re locked in. We’re having a meeting tomorrow about what we’re gonna do.”
Read Alternative Nation reporter Hanna Graf’s review of Iggy Pop and Josh Homme’s album Post Pop Depression below.
The announcement of a collaboration between punk icon Iggy Pop and Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme came as a complete surprise to everyone, and what at first sounded like an unlikely combination now makes perfect sense. Iggy’s scratchy, deep voice matches perfectly with Homme’s slow, bass heavy stoner rock. Homme has co-written and produced the album, sings backup vocals and plays several instruments, but it’s clear that this is an Iggy Pop album.
Post Pop Depression is dark, sinister, and heavy. It takes some time and effort to get into, but once you do you realise there’s depth in both music and lyrics. This is Iggy Pop’s swan song. The album is filled with references to death and Iggy’s own views on his legacy: he looks at himself as the icon he is. Musically it’s back to his roots, while at the same time proving that, 68 years old, he’s still got it in him. It’s an ingenious way to exit in style.
“Gardenia” and “American Valhalla” are the songs that bear most traces of Josh Homme, with a distinct, droning underlying bass line. After the initial xylophone “American Valhalla” turns into a heavy bass intro that could have been something from Homme’s Eagles of Death Metal. This is my favourite track.
The album is a solid piece of work, it is well composed and thankfully not overproduced. Because of its dark nature, it is music that belongs in a smoky nightclub rather than on a festival stage. It sometimes balances on the line of being too pretentious, but stays on the right side.
The last and longest track, “Paraguay”, is about finally leaving everything behind and retiring in South America. The second half is a spoken rant, a big punk style f–k off to the world Iggy Pop is tired of.
Post Pop Depression is a work of art. It does not fully match my taste in music, but the album is almost impeccable.
Track listing:
1. Break Into Your Heart
2. Gardenia
3. American Valhalla
4. In the Lobby
5. Sunday
6. Vulture
7. German Days
8. Chocolate Drops
9. Paraguay
