Era Vulgaris (2007)

Summer's here and the time is right for grooving to fat riffs and big beats. Queens of the Stone Age majordomo Josh Homme and his manly men o' rock offer plenty of both on their fifth CD, Era Vulgaris. But after the initial adrenaline kick wears off, a discerning listener might begin to suspect that the Los Angeles-based band's formula is wearing thin. Let's face facts, kids: All the beefy guitar playing in the world can't change the reality that there isn't a single song here that you'll remember, or want to return to, two summers hence. C+ DOWNLOAD THIS: Make It Wit Chu