So the BALLS Podcast After Dark Album Review Challenge continues apace. Go listen to this for our takes on the new Hermitude and the Faith No More comeback album: http://www.lantanaland.com/ballswithdryobboandbeeso/2015/6/17/balls-after-dark07-latin-for-something-about-a-lawnmower
TL;DR (or TL;DL): Sol Invictus is a bunch of incoherent noises in the vague shape of a FNM record. Listen to something else instead. The end.
I never got back to my point I was intending to make about Queens Of The Stone Age on the After Dark (I did have one) before excess of Townshend's Cathcarts NTA Golden Ale took hold; that is, in the 18 years or whatever since FNM retired, QOTSA took over that sort of dark, menacing, weird, eclectic, sometimes atonal hard rock/metal/stoner corner from them - and as far as 'album coherence' goes, certainly haven't given it back. Their 2014 album Dot Dot Dot Like Clockwork I like rather than love, but it does have some tremendous tracks on it and as a comeback album (which it is, since QOTSA broke up quite a few years ago) is definitely better than Solo Man With A Victa Lawnmower.
You've got to work it hard to be a Solo, man. Just ask Hope. *gets kicked in the head*
A side thought we got into on the AD, partly triggered by Mr Homme - who does the best side projects? Homme has some crackers (Them Crooked Vultures with Grohl and JPJ from Led Zep was just brilliant. Eagles of Death Metal... OK.) Grohl loves a side project. My favourite might be The Monarchs, which was the side project of Brad Shepherd from the Hoodoo Gurus circa 2001. Just edging out The Stalkers which was the non-Quan-bits of the Gurge with bits of the Hard Ons just crushing it, similar era (2002.)
Not such a great side project, a couple of singles aside: Happyland. But Spiderbait's last album could have fitted anywhere in their canon of the last 20 years (in between Ivy and the Big Apples and Grand Slam perhaps) - which is impressive as it was their first album in 10 years. Although they never technically broke up so don't call it a comeback, we've been here for years?
The comeback album I'm really interested to hear this year is the Veruca Salt one, coming out pretty soon. Basically the first for that lineup since 1997 (hopefully not as incoherent as FNM's similar break.) Louise Post recorded a bunch without Nina Gordon, which just went to prove Louise Post needs Nina Gordon.
So over to you - best comeback album? Best side project? Throw ideas at us on here, on lantanaland.com, at @theBALLSpodcast, at theballspodcast@gmail.com or wherever good hot takes are sold.
The Doctor is OUT.
