Era Vulgaris (album)

Era Vulgaris
Studio album by Queens of the Stone Age
Released June 12, 2007
Recorded July 2006 – April 2007
(see below)
Genre
Length 47:53
Label
Producer
Queens of the Stone Age chronology
Over the Years and Through the Woods
(2005)		 Era Vulgaris
(2007)		 ...Like Clockwork
(2013)
Singles from Era Vulgaris
  1. "You Know What You Did"
    Released: April 13, 2007 (Promotional)
  2. "Sick, Sick, Sick"
    Released: May 8, 2007
  3. "3's & 7's"
    Released: June 4, 2007
  4. "The Fun Machine Took a Shit & Died"
    Released: June 12, 2007 (Promotional)
  5. "Make It wit Chu"
    Released: October 2007

Era Vulgaris is the fifth full length studio album by American rock band Queens of the Stone Age. The album was completed in early April 2007[4] and released on June 8, 2007 in some countries, June 11, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 12, 2007 in the United States.[5] The tracks "Sick, Sick, Sick" and "3's & 7's" were released as singles in early June,[6] with a third single "Make It wit Chu" released around Halloween of 2007.

The album debuted at #14 on the US Billboard 200 charts selling 52,000 copies in its first week,[7] which was a decline in comparison to the previous album, which opened at #5 with 91,000 copies sold in its debut week.[8] In other countries it has reached much loftier debut positions, mostly in the top ten, such as number five in Canada where it sold approximately 10,000 copies in its opening week.[9]

Overview and background

While 2002's Songs for the Deaf was said to be inspired by Josh Homme's tedious drive through the Southern Californian desert, the inspiration for Era Vulgaris came from Homme's daily drive through Hollywood.[10] He described the record as "dark, hard, and electrical, sort of like a construction worker,"[11] "…it's like dirt, clearly seen."[12] The album's title Era Vulgaris refers to the Latin term for Common Era. The title was chosen by Homme because he thought "it sounds like 'the Vulgar Era', which I like, because that sounds like something that I would like to be part of… I mean I think we're in it, and I'm stoked".[12]

Two tracks from the album had previously been released or performed elsewhere. "Into the Hollow" had been performed by producers Josh Homme and Chris Goss as The 5:15ers,[5] and "Make It wit Chu" had been recorded as a Desert Sessions track,[13] as well as appearing on the Queens' live album Over the Years and Through the Woods.

Production

Pre-production speculation and contributors

In June 2006, in an interview on the Australian radio station Triple J, Jesse F. Keeler, the bassist from Death from Above 1979, revealed that he would be playing bass on an upcoming Queens of the Stone Age album, but said that he would more than likely not be touring with the band due to his desire to spend more time with his girlfriend.[14] Eventually on the DFA internet forum, Keeler revealed that due to conflicting schedules, he would not be appearing on the album. In a July interview with NME, Homme confirmed that the band was back in the studio, writing, but he remained unwilling to reveal who would appear in the band on the new record:

That's not a healthy question. You'll ruin the surprise. We've gotta keep our cool.
— Josh Homme in interview with NME in July 2006[15]

The album was expected to include guest performances by Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, Julian Casablancas from The Strokes,[16] former band member Mark Lanegan, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top,[17] and (jokingly) deceased humorist Erma Bombeck.[18] Of these, however, only Casablancas' and Lanegan's tracks appear on the U.S. release: Casablancas performed synth guitar and backing vocals on "Sick, Sick, Sick",[4] and Lanegan sang backing vocals on "River in the Road". Ultimately, scheduling conflicts prevented Gibbons from appearing,[19] while Reznor's track "Era Vulgaris" was released separately on the You Know What You Did promotional CD[12] and the UK edition of the album.

Recording

The album was recorded "with exactly zero input from [record label] Interscope Records"[20] between July 2006 and April 2007 at Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, Steakhouse Studios, Los Angeles and Sound City Studios, Van Nuys and mixed at Bay 7 Studios, North Hollywood, California. The album was recorded and mixed by Alain Johannes,[21] while it was produced by Josh Homme and Chris Goss as the Fififf Teeners. The primary contributors to the recording were Homme, Troy van Leeuwen, Joey Castillo, Johannes and Goss.[21]

We basically started a year ago. And like I said, we didn’t really have anything written. So it was a long process. It was the longest I've ever taken to make a record, frankly. I've made records over the process of a year but this was the first time it's ever been my total focus for that long. This was the first time I've ever done that...total focus for 10 months.
— Troy Van Leeuwen in interview with SuicideGirls, June 16, 2007[22]

Goss and Johannes were replaced by Dean Fertita (keyboard) and Michael Shuman (bass) for later bonus track recordings and the subsequent supporting tour. Regarding the band's line-up changes for Era Vulgaris, Homme commented, "I like combinations that no one would expect… It's the cool part of any surprise party."[16]

Musical style and influences

"3's & 7's"
The opening of the album's lead single for most of the world.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Era Vulgaris displays influences from many different genres.[23] The album departs from the softer, hollowbody guitar sound of their previous album Lullabies to Paralyze with heavy, crunchy guitars and adding in some electronic influences.[24] Rolling Stone noted the influence of "New Wave synth geek Gary Numan…all over this record."[25] Musically, the album has been described as "brand new retro",[26] a fusion of "punk, rock, blues and southern grit" (FHM),[23] and slower, moodier, and groggier than the band's previous efforts.[20]

Marketing and promotion

Behind the scenes and promotional contest

Cover of You Know What You Did

Shortly after the album's announcement in February 2007, a video was posted on the band's official website showing Homme, Castillo and Van Leeuwen jamming.[27] Along with brief footage of the recording session for "Misfit Love", the last 6–7 seconds of the video contained footage of the recording of "3's & 7's" accompanied by studio-mastered audio.[13] A second video of the recording of the album surfaced subsequently on YouTube, depicting the band (this time including Alain Johannes) recording a new track, "Turning on the Screw" in studio.[28]

In early April, the official band website was updated with a 37 second excerpt from "Sick, Sick, Sick".[5] This was replaced by the complete song, "3's and 7's", which was later removed.[5] QOTSA fansite thefade.net announced a promotional contest for fans to win "a special package" from the band,[29] confirmed as legitimate by the band's webmaster. On April 13, packages were sent to selected winners containing a CD entitled You Know What You Did with the sole track "Era Vulgaris",[30] which Homme separately confirmed would not be appearing on the record,[12] although it was included as a bonus track on the UK edition. The CD was accompanied by a handwritten letter asking fans to share the song in any way possible:[30]

Hello friend -

Thank you for accepting this gift. Included you will find the will to dance & the song ERA VULGARIS. It was pulled from the new album (of the same name) so that it could be to you and become an example of how we think "from now on" should be. As in - We do for you, you do for us.

So to start this relationship off, we have done for you. Now we ask this in return. Share this with friends you think we (you & us) would enjoy. Upload it and spray it like time released graffitti (sic) on the websites of places it does not belong.

Is it a new recipe on Rachel Ray's site? Is it a new Nickelback song on their board? A secret Gov't document? Video game cheats? Sex site password? Fuckin' whatever? You decide. Then tell us how you shoved this song into the guts of the internet & we (both) can smile wide with pride at our new relationship.

OH, but not till after midnight tonight... from now till then, is just for us. Can we trust you to wait? Relationships are built on trust. Enjoy![31]
— 'Dr Insider & QOTSA'

Bulby, Xfm and soundtracks

We’re making these mock commercials for the new record. Josh was talking about this kind of naïve point in time when TV and commercials kicked in with cartoon characters selling cigarettes and stuff like that. Like Fred Flintstone buying Camels. So we decided to invent a character called Bulby to sell our new record.

Troy Van Leeuwen in interview with SuicideGirls[22]

The full track "Sick, Sick, Sick" was leaked onto the Internet, countered by the posting of a promotional video to the official site featuring a "sales pitch" for Era Vulgaris by two talking lightbulbs , followed by a streaming of "Sick, Sick, Sick" with official lyrics displayed in the background.[32]

On May 2, 2007, Homme, Van Leeuwen and new band member Dean Fertita appeared on London radio station Xfm, performing an acoustic set that included the tracks "3's & 7's", "Into the Hollow" and "Suture Up Your Future".[33]

It was announced that tracks from the band would appear in the video games Madden NFL 08, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Rock Band,[34] specifically that the track "3's & 7's" would be featured in Madden NFL 08[35] and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.[36] Both "3's & 7's" and "Sick, Sick, Sick" are available as downloadable content on Rock Band and Rock Band 2, as they share the same Music Store.[37] In addition, "Make It Wit Chu" was later included in the tracklist of Guitar Hero 5.

Artwork

Stumpy the Pirate, one of several characters created to promote the album.

The album's cover features the two lightbulbs from the promotional video, Bulby and his pirate accomplice (pictured right), marking a change from the plainer designs of the bands' previous albums.[6] According to Homme, the light bulb represented "…what you perceive to be a great idea that really is not that great of an idea".[38] The cover was a slip of paper, with a simplified credits page on the back side, marked with the outline of the record. The typography follows an Old English style font; Blackmoor, with the 'Spermy Q' seen on their album Songs for the Deaf.

An art booklet was also included, featuring "Bulby" and several other characters which unfolded to display a pin-up advertisement for the album, following the 50's advertising satire as the rest of the album art followed. The lack of liner notes for the album was remedied when the official website allowed users to view an e-booklet, containing more detailed liner notes, lyrics, and previously unseen artwork.[21] The green light bulb with the pirate hat, eye patch and peg leg is known as "Stumpy".

Some copies of the album cover contain a red and yellow rectangle spoofing the Parental Advisory seal, reading "Rental Advisory: Freedom Not for Purchase". Coincidentally, it was the first Queens of the Stone Age album since Rated R to not bear a genuine Parental Advisory seal.

The lightbulb characters were created by Morning Breath Inc.[39] with overall art direction from Jason Noto and Doug Cunningham of Morning Breath Inc.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic75/100[40]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The A.V. ClubB+[41]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[42]
The Guardian[43]
Los Angeles Times[44]
NME8/10[45]
Pitchfork Media6.2/10[46]
Rolling Stone[47]
Spin[48]
Uncut[49]

Reviews for the album were generally positive, earning a rating of 75 out of 100 on Metacritic, a decline from their previous two studio albums.[50] Uncut and Allmusic's reviews were particularly glowing, with the latter noting how Era Vulgaris is "as different from Lullabies as that was to their dramatic widescreen breakthrough, Songs for the Deaf".[1] Originally awarding the album with a four-and-a-half star rating,[51][52] Allmusic changed this to a four-star rating in 2013, upon the release of the band's follow-up, ...Like Clockwork.

The Observer also commented on the album's change in direction, commenting that the band had "turned its back on the mainstream" and that the album was "uneasy and brooding" and "Gripping stuff".[53] Rolling Stone gave the album four stars for the first time since the band's self titled debut,[25] commenting that "Era Vulgaris is Homme's fifth Queens album, and like the others, it's intricately crafted, meticulously polished and ruthlessly efficient in its pursuit of depraved rock thrills."[54] New York Times critic Jon Pareles selected the album as the 10th best release of 2007.

A number of reviews were negative, however; Q magazine gave the album two stars out of five, while The Village Voice criticized Homme for lack of originality, describing the record's sound as "listless and drained of ideas".[55] The Guardian slated the record as lyrically clichéd and lacking the input of former bassist Nick Oliveri,[56] and Entertainment Weekly delivered the closing indictment that "there isn't a single song here that you'll remember, or want to return to, two summers hence."[57]

Era Vulgaris had sold 198,000 copies in the US, and 521,000 copies worldwide before falling off the charts. The US sales are a decline from their previous album, as Lullabies to Paralyze, had sold 342,000 copies in the US by March 2007.[13] Neither album achieved the commercial success of the band's 2002 release, Songs for the Deaf, which had sold 986,000 copies in the US alone as of June 2007.[58]

Track listing

All tracks were written by Joshua Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo,[59] except for "Sick, Sick, Sick" (Homme, Goss, Van Leeuwen, Castillo) and "Make It wit Chu" (Homme, Johannes, Melchiondo).

No. Title Length
1. "Turnin' on the Screw"   5:20
2. "Sick, Sick, Sick"   3:34
3. "I'm Designer"   4:04
4. "Into the Hollow"   3:42
5. "Misfit Love"   5:39
6. "Battery Acid"   4:06
7. "Make It wit Chu"   4:50
8. "3's & 7's"   3:34
9. "Suture Up Your Future"   4:37
10. "River in the Road"   3:19
11. "Run, Pig, Run"   4:40
Total length:
 47:24

Personnel

According to the album liner notes,[21] the contributors were as follows:

Core line-up

Guest appearances

This list is exhaustive of the core eleven tracks (see above), but does not take into account contributions to bonus tracks.

Technical

Technical credits for the album are as follows:[60]

Chart positions

Album chart positions

Chart (2007) Peak position
Billboard 200 14
Australian Albums Chart 4
Austrian Albums Chart 4
Belgian Albums Chart 2
Canadian Albums Chart 5
Dutch Albums Chart 7
Finnish Albums Chart 6
French Albums Chart 22
German Albums Chart 5
Italian Albums Chart 53
Irish Albums Chart 6
New Zealand Albums Chart 4
Norwegian Albums Chart 5
Spanish Albums Chart 65
Swedish Albums Chart 6
Swiss Albums Chart 4
UK Albums Chart 7

Singles chart positions

Single Chart (2007) Peak position
"Sick, Sick, Sick" U.S. Modern Rock 23
U.S. Mainstream Rock 37
UK Singles Chart 65
"3's & 7's" Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 85
UK Singles Chart 19
UK Rock Singles Chart 1
U.S. Modern Rock 25
"Make It wit Chu" N/A

Certifications

Country Provider Certification
Canada Music Canada Gold[61]
United Kingdom BPI Gold[62]

Album release history

Region Date
Germany June 8, 2007
Ireland June 8, 2007
Austria June 8, 2007
United Kingdom June 11, 2007
United States June 12, 2007

References

  1. 1 2 3 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Era Vulgaris – Queens of the Stone Age". AllMusic. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  2. ↑ Kelly, Jennifer. "Queens of the Stone Age: Era Vulgaris". PopMatters. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  3. ↑ Stagno, Mike (June 12, 2007). "Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris (Emeritus review)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Scaggs, Austin (2007-04-06). "Smoking Section: Playing poker with the Strokes, Foo Fighters album news, Marilyn Manson's "dirty" film, Roger Waters calls from the road". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Queens of the Stone Age official website". 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  6. 1 2 "Queens of the Stone age unveil new album artwork". Uncut. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
  7. ↑ Hasty, Katie (2007-06-20). "Toby Keith's 'Big Dog' Heads Straight To No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  8. ↑ "50 Still Attacking Chart". Rolling Stone. 2005-03-30. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  9. ↑ Williams, John (2007-06-20). "Wilburys, QOTSA shake up charts". Canoe Inc. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  10. ↑ Adler, Heather (2007-05-08). "Album Spotlight: Josh Homme spills on new Queens of the Stone Age record, Era Vulgaris". Dose.ca. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  11. ↑ "Ask the Band". qotsa.com. 2009-01-04. Archived from the original (.mov) on February 5, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-09. External link in |publisher= (help)
  12. 1 2 3 4 Maher, Dave (2007-04-13). "QOTSA's Homme talks new LP, motivations, pirates". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 2007-04-16. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  13. 1 2 3 Cohen, Jonathan (2007-03-15). "QOTSA Rocks Hard, Fast On 'Era Vulgaris'". Billboard. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  14. ↑ "Mel in the Morning interview with Jesse Keeler (mp3)". Triple J. 2006-06-22. Retrieved 2006-06-30.
  15. ↑ "Queens of the Stone Age return". NME. 2006-07-05. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
  16. 1 2 "Spring Music Preview: Fifty Must-Hear Albums". Rolling Stone. 2007-04-05. Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  17. ↑ "Casablancas, Reznor Rumored Guests on QOTSA Album". Spin. 2007-02-23. Archived from the original on 2007-05-29. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  18. ↑ "Queens Of The Stone Age Will Not Settle Down, Except For Fans". Ultimate Guitar Archive. 2007-03-09. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
  19. ↑ Cohen, Jonathan (2007-04-13). "Reznor Guest Spot Adds Mystery To QOTSA Album". Billboard. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  20. 1 2 Gowing, Liam. "Queens Of The Stone Age" (review). The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Liner notes of Era Vulgaris from Qotsa.com
  22. 1 2 Broadley, Erin. "Queens of the Stone Age: An Interview With Troy Van Leeuwen" (interview). SuicideGirls. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  23. 1 2 "Queens of the Stone Age – Era Vulgaris". Album Reviews. FHM. Archived from the original (online review) on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
  24. ↑ "Queens Of The Stone Age - Interview mit einer Steinzeitkönigin" (interview). Whiskey Soda. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  25. 1 2 Sheffield, Rob (2007-05-30). "Queens of the Stone Age, Era Vulgaris". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  26. ↑ "IGN: Era Vulgaris Review" (album review). IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  27. ↑ "Initial teaser video". qotsa.com. 2007-02-23. Archived from the original (.mov) on February 25, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-23. External link in |publisher= (help)
  28. ↑ "Queens of the Stone Age Creating Era Vulgaris". YouTube.com. 2007-03-05. Archived from the original on March 7, 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  29. ↑ "Enter Your Address, Win a Special QOTSA Package!". thefade.net. 2007-04-06. Retrieved 2007-04-08. External link in |publisher= (help)
  30. 1 2 "Qotsa.com competition forum thread". Rekords Records forum. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-13. External link in |publisher= (help)
  31. ↑
  32. ↑ "Lightbulb sales pitch video" (.flv). qotsa.com. 2007-04-21. Retrieved 2007-04-21. External link in |publisher= (help)
  33. ↑ "Queens Of The Stone Age Live On Music: Response". Xfm. 2007-05-18. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  34. ↑ "Queens of the Stone Age Unveils New Lineup". Blabbermouth.net. 2007-05-07. Retrieved 2007-05-08.
  35. ↑ Totilo, Stephen (2007-06-28). "Timberlake/Timbaland, QOTSA, Swizz, Daddy Yankee Rock 'Madden 08' Soundtrack". MTV. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  36. ↑ Hatfield, Daemon (2007-08-02). "Even More GHIII Tracks Revealed". IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
  37. ↑ "DLC Credits". Archived from the original on 2008-09-29. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  38. ↑ Josh Homme, Joey Castillo (interviewees) (2007-05-09). "Queens of the Stone Age interview" (.wmv). Virgin Media. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
  39. ↑ "QOTSA: Bulby returns" (blog post). NME. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  40. ↑ "Reviews for Era Vulgaris by Queens of the Stone Age". Metacritic. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  41. ↑ Gowing, Liam (June 12, 2007). "Queens Of The Stone Age: Era Vulgaris". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  42. ↑ Sinclair, Tom (June 8, 2007). "Era Vulgaris". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  43. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (June 8, 2007). "Queens of the Stone Age, Era Vulgaris". The Guardian. London. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  44. ↑ Burk, Greg (June 24, 2007). "Harmony amid the chaos". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  45. ↑ Pattison, Louis (June 13, 2007). "Queens Of The Stone Age: Era Vulgaris". NME. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  46. ↑ Raposa, David (June 11, 2007). "Queens of the Stone Age: Era Vulgaris". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
  47. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (May 30, 2007). "Era Vulgaris". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  48. ↑ Anderson, Kyle (July 2007). "He's Trippin'". Spin. 23 (7): 102. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  49. ↑ Martin, Dan (June 6, 2007). "Queens Of The Stone Age – Era Vulgaris". Uncut. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Era Vulgaris, Metacritic rating". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  51. ↑ "Critic Reviews for Era Vulgaris". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  52. ↑ Era Vulgaris - Queens of the Stone Age : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic
  53. ↑ Hodgson, Jaimie (2007-05-20). "Queens of the Stone Age, Era Vulgaris". London: The Observer. Retrieved 2007-05-20.
  54. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (2007-05-30). "Era Vulgaris: Queens of the Stone Age: Review: Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  55. ↑ "Queens of the Stone Age's Era Vulgaris" (review). Music. The Village Voice. Retrieved 2007-09-09.
  56. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (2007-06-08). "Queens of the Stone Age, Era Vulgaris". Film & Music. London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-09.
  57. ↑ Sinclair, Tom (2007-06-08). "Queens of the Stone Age, Era Vulgaris". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  58. ↑ Jonathan Cohen (2005-06-02). "Queens of the Stone Age Enter New 'Era'". AOL. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  59. ↑ "Allmusic entry for Era Vulgaris". Allmusic. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  60. ↑ "Era Vulgaris: Credits". Allmusic. 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-09.
  61. ↑ "Gold Platinum Database - Queens of the Stone Age". Music Canada. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  62. ↑ "Certified Awards Search" (To access, enter the search parameter "Queens of the Stone Age", select "Search by Artist" and check the "Exact match" checkbox.). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 15, 2013.

External links

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