Queens Of The Stone Age return with new single ‘Easy Street’.
The song popped up on set lists last year, when the American band played their excellent Catacombs tour. CLASH caught Queens Of The Stone Age at London’s Royal Albert Hall, and the stripped back format seemed to unleash renewed potency in their work.
The semi-theatrical feel was perfect for ‘Easy Street’, which earned its debut during those shows. Taken into the studio, ‘Easy Street’ is a larger than life return, driven forwards by an inter-locked band performance and Homme’s exultant vocal.
Reminiscent of those Tom Waits character sketches but in a California rock format, the searing guest vocal comes from Nikki Lane.
“It’s kind of a funny song. It’s like hitting your funny bone, where it’s funny because it hurts and it hurts because it’s funny. You’re serious, but it’s funny,” Josh Homme says. “We made it the way you’d make a demo. No click track, mistakes left in. It speeds up, it slows down, the claps aren’t great, but they’re not bad, and a bad clap adds this human thing you can’t fake.”
He continues, “It’s not just about silliness. It’s about understanding the imperfection of your life. The song, like your life, is in the mistakes. Its imperfections are unbeatable.”
The video for ‘Easy Street’ is unmissable – opening with Homme being chased down the road, it features Jon Theodore channelling Bad Santa energy, Troy Van Leeuwe in cowboy mode, and Michael Shuman in leather. Lots of leather.
Oh, and there’s also a tiny horse – and, if you watch to the end, a satisfying twist.
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Photo Credit: Andreas Neumann