QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE have announced their long-awaited eighth studio album, “In Times New Roman…”, due on June 16 via Matador.
“In Times New Roman…” is raw, at times brutal and not recommended for the faint of heart. And yet, it’s perhaps the most beautiful and definitely the most rewarding album in their epic discography. Founder Joshua Homme‘s most acerbic lyrics to date are buoyed by the instantly identifiable QOTSA sonic signature, expanded and embellished with new and unprecedented twists in virtually every song. With “In Times New Roman…” we see that sometimes one needs to look beneath scars and scabs to see beauty, and sometimes the scabs and scars are the beauty.
Feeling a bit out of place, and having difficulty finding music they could relate to, the members of QOTSA did as they are wont to do: “In Times New Roman…” 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 world’s gonna end in a month or two,” sings Homme, begging the question: What do you want to do with the time you’ve got left? Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Dean Fertita, Michael Shuman and Jon Theodore may not be able to save us, but they’re giving us a place to ride it out.
The first offering from “In Times New Roman…” is “Emotion Sickness”, which wraps listeners in a warm blanket of patented QOTSA hypnotic choruses and off kilter grooves — punctuated by tinges of psychic turbulence. The past few years have been tough on everyone, and it’s no secret the members of QOTSA have endured their share of heartbreak and loss. But who amongst us hasn’t dealt with a recent bout (or two) of emotion sickness? A Liam Lynch-created lyric video for “Emotion Sickness” premieres tomorrow on QOTSA‘s YouTube channel.
“In Times New Roman…” was recorded and mixed at Homme‘s own Pink Duck (RIP),with additional recording at Shangri-La. The album was produced by QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and mixed by Mark Rankin. The album will be available across all digital platforms and on vinyl and CD. Artwork and double LP gatefold packaging designed by longtime collaborator Boneface. LP vinyl will be available globally in black, green, red, silver and blue.
The track listing is as follows:
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
Photo credit: Andreas Neumann