From his time as guitarist of Kyuss there is one thing that has always influenced significantly in the compositions and concepts created by Joshua Homme lead vocalist and guitarist for Queens of the Stone Age and is the desert. So through the years since their first album of the same name released in 1999 Josh has tried to translate that influence discs Queens of the Stone Age and even for him the Song for the Deaf album is the most representative work this sound.
The album marks the departure of Gene Trautmann who was in charge of the battery its output creates the opportunity for this square occupies Dave Grohl had already shown interest in working with the band. Besides Homme continues Nick Oliveri on bass now also participating as a member and composer with singer of Screaming Trees, Mark Lenagan who had participated as a guest for Rated R but begins as a fixed member as well as the formula is added to Troy Van Leeuwen outgoing A Perfec Circle project. Collaborations with Alain Johannes and Hutch (Patrick Hutchinson) sound engineer Homme since the time of Kyuss and a favorite of artists like Jack White.
This album still experimenting with sounds that the band was looking for the Rated R but rescue some things of the Desert Sessions (project collaborations also directed by Homme) as in the case of Millionaire and Hanging Tree. Besides moments the influence of old hardcore punk that was present in adolescence of many of those involved in this record sounds.
It is an album that takes us on a sonic journey through different rhythms discovered by Homme in the stations tuned while traveling in the California desert from classic rock to Latin stations and try to take from that experience with the intervention of audio stations and locutions some also very close to the Queens as Dave Catching (who is part of the Eagles of Death Metal) partners. More than a trip this album fulfills its function as a companion to tackling the ways giving different visions of love, anger and closest to the human life than ideal. Songs to reflect on your own existence before the immensity of the road music for the road.
