The re-recruitment of QOTSA alumni Dave Grohl and Nick Olivieri to the fold suggests, on paper at least, that Josh Homme is bringing his Queens back to the same fertile ground from which their 2002 masterpiece 'Songs For The Deaf' sprouted but there's a whole lot more to ...Like Clockwork than simply rehashing some of their old favourites.

As is often the case with Homme's musical projects, he has assembled a rogue's gallery of co-conspirators. If the record is anchored by the inclusion of Grohl and Olivieri, it is also thrust towards the heavens with flighty contributions from Elton John (the original queen from the stone age), Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears, Trent Reznor and Homme protégé Alex Turner but - crucially - at no point do they take the focus away from the furious rock n' roll swagger which Homme infuses through the album.

...Like Clockwork is QOTSA's most complete album since 'Songs for the Deaf'. It contains within it all of the hallmarks through which Josh Homme has forged his band's identity, particularly the crunchy stoner-rock which they've become synonymous with, but there are also elements of corrosive sensuality throughout suggesting that Homme has added another trick to his already impressive songwriting arsenal.


Listen: 'Fairweather Friends', 'Smooth Sailing', 'I Sat By The Ocean'