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Them Crooked Vultures is the debut studio album by rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures that was released on November 16, 2009. The first single from the album, "New Fang", was released on October 26, 2009, followed by "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" on November 3. The album debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200, selling 70,000 units in the US in its first week.http

Release history

The first single from the album, "New Fang", was released on October 26, 2009. On November 3, 2009 they released their second single, via free download on iTunes, entitled "Mind Eraser, No Chaser".

The album was first released on November 13, 2009, in Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Australia. It was then released by DGC/Interscope in the United States on November 17, 2009; it was released in the United Kingdom by Columbia a day earlier. Prior to release, the album could be viewed on the band's YouTube channel.

Critical reception

Them Crooked Vultures received a 75/100 Metascore rating from aggregrator Metacritic, based on 20 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews. Chicago Tribune reviewer Greg Kot was particularly complimentary of the album, giving it a rating of 3.5/4, he said "Nasty riffs and sticky melodies are everywhere". He also praised multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones, saying his "mastery of texture, whether on funky Clavinet for 'Scumbag Blues,' classical piano on 'Spinning in Daffodils' or slide guitar for 'Reptiles,' is the band's secret weapon". The A.V Clubs Steven Hyden said the group's album "doesn’t equal the considerable awesomeness of its ancestors (the aforementioned Led Zeppelin, Nirvana and Queens of the Stone Age); it sounds like a second-tier Queens Of The Stone Age record", and that it "could have fit comfortably under Homme’s usual banner". He did however, commend it for being "a hell of a lot of fun" and awarded it a B+, mentioning the "The biggest pleasure of Them Crooked Vultures is hearing three supremely gifted players fall together quickly and easily on songs built on simple riffs that sound like they were made up on a lark five minutes earlier."

David Quantick of BBC gave the album a highly favorable review saying "Their debut album is very good indeed. Released, rather oddly, at virtually the same time as Foo Fighters' new greatest hits collection, this album sounds by and large like QOTSA, as Homme sings and plays guitar, but with – unsurprisingly really – Zeppelin-esque touches. From 'Scumbag Blues', which could have fitted loudly on the second Zep’ album, to the superb single 'No One Loves Me & Neither Do I', which is a distant cousin to Trampled Underfoot, this is a proper rock album that's very aware of its roots.". . David Quantick. BBC

Drowned in Sound's reviewer Andrzej Lukowski reprehended the album, saying it "does not remotely represent the best work of anybody involved." He gave the album 5/10, stating it was "a faintly pointless record", is "not particularly memorable and entirely lacks the type of yee-haw exuberance that might have made it a sloppy treat."

Charts

Personnel

;Them Crooked Vultures

*Josh Homme – vocals, guitars, production

*John Paul Jones – bass guitar, keyboards, piano, keytar, slide guitar, mandolin, backing vocals, production

*Dave Grohl – drums, percussion, backing vocals, production

;Production personnel

*Alan Moulder – recording, mixing

*Alain Johannes – recording on tracks 4, 8 and 9, backing vocals

*Justin Smith – recording assistance

*Chris Kaysch – mixing assistance

*Brian Gardner – mastering

*Mike Bozzi – mastering assistance

;Additional personnel

*Liam Lynch – artwork, graphic design

*Morning Breath – art direction

References

*

Category:2009 albums

Category:Them Crooked Vultures albums

Category:Debut albums

Category:English-language albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:DGC Records albums

Category:Interscope Records albums

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Artist/Band Information

Them Crooked Vultures is a rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 2009 by John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme. The group also includes guitarist Alain Johannes during live performances. The band began recording in July 2009, and performed their first gig on August 9, 2009 in Chicago, followed by a European debut on August 19. On October 1 the group embarked on a worldwide tour titled Deserve the Future with dates going into 2010. The band's first single "New Fang" was released in October 2009, followed by the group's self-titled debut album the following month, debuting at number 12 on the Billboard 200.

History

Formation and early shows

A collaboration between John Paul Jones, Homme and Grohl was first publicly mentioned by Grohl in a 2005 interview with Mojo, in which he declared "The next project that I'm trying to initiate involves me on drums, Josh Homme on guitar, and John Paul Jones playing bass. That’s the next album. That wouldn’t suck."

Of the nascent project, Homme's wife Brody Dalle commented in July 2009 that "I'm not at liberty to talk about it but I think is pretty amazing. Just beats and sounds like you've never heard before." After finding that the name Caligula was already taken, the members arbitrarily chose "Them Crooked Vultures" as a name with no significance. British music magazine NME reported in July 2009 that the trio had begun recording in Los Angeles. The band performed its first show at the Metro, Chicago on August 9, 2009 at midnight. The band played all original material during its 80-minute set, debuting such songs as opener "Elephants", "Scumbag Blues", "Caligulove" and closing song "No One Loves Me & Neither Do I". TCV made its European debut on August 19 with a performance at Melkweg in the Netherlands, the same day on which a short video clip of studio footage was uploaded by the band, featuring the song "No One Loves Me & Neither Do I".

With subsequent festival performances in Europe at Pukkelpop and Lowlands, the band first performed in the United Kingdom at London's Brixton Academy supporting English alternative rock band Arctic Monkeys on August 26. The trio subsequently performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals on August 28 and 29, playing the Leeds Festival first then moving onto Reading the next day.

Self-titled debut album

Them Crooked Vultures was released by Interscope Records in North America, and Sony Music internationally. On the 21st of October radio personality Alan Cross announced the lead single for Them Crooked Vultures debut album to be "New Fang" which premiered on October 26. The single was released on November 2 worldwide as a free download. Icon vs. icon subsequently announced that the album would be released on the 17th of November, 2009. On November 3, the band gave a free copy of "Mind Eraser (No Chaser)" to fans that had bought tickets to a live performance and offered it on iTunes as a free download. On November 9, Them Crooked Vultures started streaming their full album on their website, and also through a link to their mailing list with the title "Fuck Patience, Let's Dance."

On September 1, the band announced two 2009 tours of North America and the United Kingdom, in October and December respectively. The 2009 Tour was titled Deserve the Future Tour and the UK leg sold out in just under 12 minutes, making it one of the quickest sold tours in the UK — without the band even officially releasing a song to date. On September 21, the band also announced three Germany dates for December 2009.

On January 25, 2010, it was confirmed that the band will be performing at the Download Festival 2010.

On February 6, 2010, the band performed the songs "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" (now the second single) and "New Fang" as musical guests on Saturday Night Live. Dave Grohl also appeared in a sketch near the end of the show. A week later, the band appeared on the long running PBS show Austin City Limits broadcast February 13, 2010. The band appeared on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' on April 13-14, 2010.

The band has also confirmed a series of festival appearances for 2010, including the Coachella Music Festival on April 16, Roskilde Festival, the Peace & Love Festival in Borlange, Sweden on July 1, 2010, and Hove Festival in Arendal, Norway on June 30, 2010. The band closed the show on the Alternastage at Rock Am Ring, Nürburg, Germany, playing after midnight on June 7, 2010.

In March, it was announced that the group were to play at the The Royal Albert Hall in aid of The Teenage Cancer Trust with support coming from Little Fish.

On April 20, 2010, Them Crooked Vultures released a digital 45 onto iTunes featuring the songs "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" and the song "Hwy 1" on the A side. "Hwy 1" wasn't featured on the band's self-titled album but was usually played live. For those reasons, the version of "Hwy 1" featured was recorded live in Sydney, Australia. The B side featured "Vulture Speak", an interview with the band members.

Second studio album

Grohl said in an interview that they are working on a second album that will be "more powerful than the first one". John Paul Jones also stated in an interview while touring in New Zealand that they will be recording a new album, with a likely release date towards the end of 2010. When asked about the futures of Grohl and Homme's bands Jones said that they will get their frontmen back "eventually". A video was uploaded to the band's official YouTube channel entitled 'Fresh Pots' which NME claimed was filmed during recording for their follow-up album. Grohl clarified after the video's release that it was filmed a year prior, during the self-titled album's recording sessions.

Band members

;Official members

*Josh Homme – lead vocals, guitar

*John Paul Jones – bass guitar, keyboards, piano, keytar, lap steel guitar, mandolin, violin, backing vocals

*Dave Grohl – drums, percussion, backing vocals

;Live members

*Alain Johannes – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2009–present)

Discography

Albums

Singles

References