I have the new Queens of the Stone Age album, …Like Clockwork. It is amazing. I won’t “review” it since it’s not out yet and I’m not a music journalist and I don’t know what all the protocol is for stuff like this, but since they played the whole thing for the whole world on NPR the other night, streamed live from a show I had the very good fortune to attend, I figured I could talk about it a little bit. First, I’ll say it’s their best album since the towering “Songs for the Deaf.” The last two had some great songs on them (I still listen to “The Blood is Love” and “Into the Hollow” at least five times a week each) but there were also some that - in my opinion - extrapolated in certain directions that wound up not producing the beautifully wrought note-for-note masterpieces the Queens have trained us to demand. THAT SAID, I’m glad they made them because …Like Clockwork utilizes otherworldly, hitherto unseen sonic fuckery that couldn’t have existed without the experimentation they indulged in on Lullabies to Paralyze and Era Vulgaris. Josh Homme’s stint with Them Crooked Vultures clearly put him in the mood to make a legendary album too. I guess writing, recording and touring with John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl will do that to a person. And when that person is Homme, you better lube up, because it’s about to get nasty.

In sum, the already prolific Homme spent the last few years getting even better. It’s something to behold.

One note: I knew Elton John was on the album in some capacity. After a couple of listens, my guess was that he co-wrote “The Vampyre of Time and Memory,” since its scope and majesty recalls songs like “Funeral for a Friend.” But then I found out he sings in the chorus on “Fairweather Friends” and “Vampyre” just reminded me of the best of John. Fun error to make.

I give it 10 out 10 hard dicks coated in raspberry jam made by a orphaned shepherdess on a Greek isle time forgot about.