It’s safe to say that Queens Of The Stone Age have had one of their biggest years on record. Chiefly thanks to having one of the biggest records of the year.
Off the back of the “heavy, melodic, dark and dynamic” …Like Clockwork, Josh Homme and co.’s first album in six years, QOTSA have signed back onto an indie label, Matador, returned to the top of the international festival circuit, and make their way back to Australia next March in a massive co-headline tour with Nine Inch Nails.
They’ve also been interviewed by 12-year-olds (about Celine Dion) and released a rather underwhelming interactive video, but their latest album has seen Queens Of The Stone Age appear in a swathe of ‘Best of 2013’ lists from music media (including in Tone Deaf’s own 4th Annual Readers Poll).
But while the trailblazing rockers have been credited with having one of the year’s best releases with their doomy, gloomy, collaborative-happy comeback, the bright sparks at Brooklyn Vegan decided it’d be smart to ask QOTSA what their favourite albums of the year are.
The Top 10 results is an interesting look into the listening habits of the band, including shout-outs for bands of similarly big billed status, close musical mates, and even a plug for a band of Australian legends.
Front up, there’s some love for Big Day Out co-headliners Arcade Fire and their double album opus, Reflektor, which will make Noel Gallagher none too happy, but the Britpop figurehead will be pleased to know that his love for David Bowie has been shared by QOTSA, with the best-dressed, well-read music icon’s The Next Day – Bowie’s first album in 10 years and one of the year’s highest selling vinyl releases, also making the cut.
Homme’s good buddies, the Australia-bound Arctic Monkeys, also get a nod with their latest AM. No surprise given the album (which has some of the year’s best artwork and named by NME as one of the greatest ever) features a guest spot from the QOTSA frontman.
Also in the Top 10 is Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds first-ever Aussie #1 album, the ARIA-winning Push The Sky Away, Matador records labelmate and Laneway-bound singer-songwriter Kurt Vile, French indie faves Phoenix, and the historical box-set from Jack White’s Third Man Records, The Rise And Fall Of Paramount Records 1917-1932.
There’s no kudos for Hesitation Marks though, the latest album from forthcoming tourmates Nine Inch Nails. Don’t tell Trent Reznor, who also contributed to …Like Clockwork, but then maybe QOTSA’s list wouldn’t make the cut for Reznor’s Top 10.
Queens Of The Stone Age’s Top 10 Albums of 2013
Arcade Fire – Reflektor
Arctic Monkeys – AM
Paul McCartney – New
Earthless – From The Ages
David Bowie – The Next Day
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push The Sky Away
Various Artists – Rise and Fall of Paramount Records 1917-1932
Savages – Silence Yourself
Phoenix – Bankrupt!
Kurt Vile – Waking On A Pretty Daze
