Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Desert Sessions - 7 & 8 [Rekords Rekords / Southern Lord - 2002]

Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age members". It could be a cheap marketing trick from some slick record company manager, but the Desert Sessions are far from that." />
The Desert Sessions concept is pretty cool. Bring some friends to a studio in the desert, jam a little, write some songs, record and release it with a sticker on the sleeve saying: "Featuring Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age members". It could be a cheap marketing trick from some slick record company manager, but the Desert Sessions are far from that.

Kyuss and Queens Of The Stone Age mainman Josh Homme started these sessions a couple of years ago. Inviting some friends, bring them to the 11AD studios in Alainville and just have a good time recording music. This album is my first introduction to the Desert Sessions, so I have no idea how good previous sessions are, but if they're all like this I will start tracking them down.

Musicians collobarating on this record are Mark Lanegan, Alain Johannes (Eleven and Chris Cornell Band), Natasha Shneider (Eleven and Chris Cornell Band), Chris Goss (Masters of Reality), Brendon McNichol (Panic Institute, QOTSA), Fred Drake (Earthlings) and Nick Eldorado (Like Hell). Some of the outstanding tracks are Don't Drink Poison, a 'gypsy march' according to the description at the Rekords Rekords site. It features Josh Homme on vocals and an instrument called a Marxaphone. I guess this is the instrument that gives the song an oriental feeling. Hanging Tree is the first version from the same song played by QOTSA on Songs For The Deaf, it doesn't differ much from the second version. Up In Hell is similar to the other 'gypsy march', but a little more edgy. Nevada is a great song with Russian vocals by Natasha Schneider. Cold Sore Superstars stands out as one of the most instesting tracks on the album. Kinda jazzy with great saxophone lines, in a desert rock way. Making A Cross is a pretty cool ballad. Alain Johannes' vocals are perfect for this song. He might not be the best singer in the world, but it's emotional and sad, which fits the song best.

Besides a couple of joke tracks (Winners, Covousier, Piano Bench Breaks), Desert Sessions 7 & 8 is a fine album with some interesting compositions and experimentations in desert rock. I think Josh Homme had this quality and enjoyment in mind when he started the first sessions. So QOTSA, Kyuss and desert/stoner rock fans not afraid for some experimentation within their favourite genre can get this album immediatly.

Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

Niels van Rongen
Latest Reviews

Desert Sessions - 7 & 8
The Desert Sessions concept is pretty cool. Bring some friends to a studio in the desert, jam a little, write some songs, record and release it with a sticke...
010725   Atomic Rooster - Atomic Roos...
010725   Con Funk Shun - Organized
010725   Various Artists - Heatwave- T...
010725   The Good, The Bad, The Weird ...
270625   Murder Rock - Murder Rock( Bl...
270625   The Black Torment - The Blac...
250625   Girls Without Shame - Girls W...
250625   Xiphos - The Age Of Alexander
250625   Timothy Fairless - Keep Tal...
240625   CORR//PT│0N_UN1T - S7ATU5_...
Latest Articles

Matthew Holmes - Of razor-sharp t...
It’s fair to say the Sharksploitation genre is often tried, tested, and to be honest, tired. Fear Below is a 2025 Australian film that tries to do some...
180625   Matthew Holmes - Of razor-sha...
280525   The Residents - Visits From T...
090525   Ennaytch - Of walls, abused ...
150425   Dead, Dead Swans interview - ...
110325   Sebastian Tomb - Walls of unb...
040225   Alien Sex Fiend - Possessed B...
231224   Best Of 2024 - Music, Sound &...
191224   Splintered - Somewhere Betwee...
031224   Shane Ryan-Reid - Coerced and...
221024   Whore’s Breath - life’s h...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2025. Twenty four years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom