He appears disinclined to pen another feel-good-hit-of-the summer. At the same time, with a latest release featuring a SpongeBob-SquarePants-like cover, the suspicion arises that perhaps Josh Homme might not be taking this record-making business entirely seriously any more. Have matters now got so out of hand with QOTSA, that with Era Vulgaris the joke is on the listener?

Relax, fans, you can turn the cover without any sense of dread. What the Queens’ fifth album lacks in subtletly, it more than makes up for in impact. Even if most of it is below the belt.

A slow starter, Era Vulgaris doesn’t really get going until its second half. With the arrival of Desert-Sessions survivor, ‘Make It Wit Chu’. An anomaly, this is, awful pun alert, a Homme-age to Motown which also reflects the new father’s perversely pessimistic world view.

‘3’s and 7’s”, which follows, offers a return to the band’s trademark fast and dirty sound. Before the softer ‘Suture For Future’ finds the QOTSA volcano quiescent. But not for long as Homme and co put their feet on the pedal once more with ‘River in the Road’.

Unlike disappointingly-received predecessor Lullabies to Paralyze, 80% of which was written whilst touring, the majority of Era Vulgaris came together in the studio.  The Joshua Tree sanctum that drummer Joey Castillo refers to as “a magical place”. Which only goes to prove that Josh Homme should get out less; not more.

(4/5)