Average Rating: 
Rating: - The best alternative album of 2001.
Born from the ashes of the stoner rock band Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age does share some similarities to Kyuss--the long jams and the guitar-driven sound. Yet Songs For The Deaf does not fall under the rubrick of stoner rock. It's more like alternative rock, in the tradition of Soundgarden's Superunknown or possibly Stone Temple Pilots' Purple. It also recalls Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience to some extent. Songs For The Deaf is quite diverse, from the screaming speed metal of You Ain't Worth A Dollar.., followed by slightly skewered pop songs like No One Knows and Go With The Flow, and the downright ominous God Is In The Radio and Song For The Deaf. It even goes into orchestration (Mosquito Song). The lyrics are dark and intelligent. And man, does it rock. Homme and Oliveri's amazing guitarwork and vocals are accompanied by Dave Grohl's heroic drumming--he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Keith Moon and John Bonham. The fact that he decided to go back on the kit in Songs For The Deaf is reason enough to buy this album right NOW. The long jams never bog down this record--just imagine taking an awesome solo, and extending it a few minutes. By the end of the song your neck will be sore and you will be reeling from all the notes forced into your brain. But you'll want to hear it all again. Songs For The Deaf is not perfect--Six Shooter is pointless, Hangin' Tree is boring, and Another Love Song is a bit too poppy for my tastes. The fake DJ interludes, while amusing the first few listens, can become annoying. But if you're tired of all the nu-metal junk flooding the airwaves, buy your copy of Songs For The Deaf and crank the volume knob up high. I can't wait to hear Rated R.
Rating: - A Gasp of fresh air in commercial music
This is probably the best band to became majorly mainstream in a while, and this CD is awesome. The radio-feel to it is original and gives it more 'soul' to the CD, the songs are varied, encompassing many influences from Popular rock to more Prog-oriented and even Death metal. Homme and Oliveri continue to be the core but Grohl and the guitarist certainly add a lot to this album. 1. You say I ain't worth a dollar, but I feel like a Millionaire- 9/10. Nice opener, very simple but effective riff and Black-Metal vocals
2. No One Knows- 10/10 The big hit, continues to be great after repeated listens, spooky, eerie, and a somewhat "cartoony" feel
3. First it Giveth- 10/10 Awesome song with an awesome chorus and a somewhat latin-flavored feel.
4. Song for the Dead 9/10 As the title suggests, it's another spooky song, but indeed very good
5. Sky is Fallin' 8.5/10 Slow-paced song, there is something funny about the chords used, but the song sounds great.
6. Six Shooter 5/10 A grindcore reminiscing song, most likely just a joke song.
7. Hanging Tree 9/10 The tempo of this song gives it a strange feel to it, and it's overall just a great song
8. Go With the Flow 10/10 another of the best songs, there is a very rythmic keyboard in it, and it' certainly a more poppy song.
9. Gonne Leave You 7.5/10 one of the weaker tracks, also poppy but not nearly as catchy as Go with the Flow.
10. Do it Again 8/10 like Gonna Leave You but a bit better.
11. God is on the Radio 9.5/10 Really good song, the lyrics and music are excellent
12. Another Love Song 8.5/10 It's great Musically, similar to Go With the Flow
13. Songs for the Deaf 9/10 Spooky song, but good overall, provides an adequate ending
14. Mosquito Song- 9/10 Extremely odd song played with a 12-String guitar, it's actually pretty good, though very strange, but I guess that what this album is about in part... and that's a good thing.
Rating:  - Buy This Album
Queens of the Stone Age might be the best rock band active today. "Songs For the Deaf," the group's third album, is their finest to date. That in and of itself is no small feat, as both of Queens' previous efforts were excellent in their own right. Dave Grohl (former Nirvana drummer, now Foo Fighters singer) plays drums on "Songs...," and his presence is most definitely felt. Homme and Oliveri, meanwhile, pieced together a record that works beginning to end.
"No One Knows" is the first single. The song is very unconventional underneath, with a guitar riff generally foreign to this genre, but rocks nevertheless. "First it Giveth" and "Go With the Flow" combine mainstream rock sensibilities with a powerful, live-sounding production. The overall song-writing quality here is phenomenal. "The Sky is Fallin," "Hangin' Tree," (from Desert Sessions 7/8), "Do It Again," and "Another Love Song" are all remarkable. Production is also very true to Queen's sound (I've seen them live). The end result is an album which in some ways reminds me of "In Utero," by Nirvana, not so much for its style, but its substance. Anyone who likes rock music, be it Staind, the Vines, Linkin Park or Nickelback, should buy "Songs for the Deaf." It may wind up being as essential as "Daydream Nation," "In Utero," and "OK Computer." At the very least, its among the best of 2002...
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