Dean Fertita is returning with a new solo album. The Queens of the Stone Age member will unveil Tropical Gothclub on November 4th via Third Man Records, and as a preview, he’s shared its lead single “Wheels Within Wheels” today.
Known for his work in more garage rock-forward bands — QotSA, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather — Fertita has used Tropical Gothclub as his chance to branch out. After spending much of the pandemic recording demos with no clear goal or vision, the resulting final product exemplifies just how far his range spans.
“Tropical Gothclub as a concept is futuristic nostalgia,” he says in a press release (are you there, Dua Lipa?). “Going through the seven stages of escapism, understanding the subliminal messages I’ve been sending and receiving to myself, and letting fantasy take a machete to the darkest corners of my mind. I want subculture shock and volcanic rock.”
If all that sounds a little woo-woo, then just give “Wheels Within Wheels” a listen. It’s a heavy-hitting rock number with splashes of synth and psychedelia, and like its title implies, it has a cyclical, hypnotic feel: “One thing can influence another on levels we don’t see,” Fertita adds about the song. “All of our experience is chemical alteration and total DNA demolition.” We’ll have whatever he’s having.
Pre-orders for Tropical Gothclub are ongoing. After you listen to “Wheels Within Wheels” below, you can keep scrolling to see the album’s artwork and tracklist.
Queens of the Stone Age’s last album was 2017’s Villains. It was their first album without longtime member Mark Lanegan, who tragically died in February of this year.
Tropical Gothclub Artwork:
Tropical Gothclub Tracklist:
01. Needles
02. Wheels Within Wheels
03. Captivated
04. Where There Is Water
05. Infernal Inside
06. No Wonder
07. Death Rattle
08. Double Blind
09. Future To Follow
10. Thunder Towards You
11. Uniform Looks