Josh Homme is finishing work on the fourth Queens of the Stone Age album, and first since the departure of bassist Nick Oliveri. The guitarist/vocalist has been joined by an array of guest musicians, including Garbage singer Shirley Manson, ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons and Distillers singer Brody Dalle.

"Honestly, I think it sounds more like our first record," Homme says, "but there's elements song-wise that are unlike any of the records . . . It's almost like part of the record is songs for daytime and part of the record is songs for nighttime. We've got one song that's a bit twilight."

Homme raves about working with Gibbons, calling ZZ Top a sonic "reference" for QOTSA. "It's been awesome," Homme says. "So un-Santana-with-that-guy-from Matchbox Twenty. He was playing shit that made our jaws drop."

Manson also waxed enthusiastic about the record in her online diary. "It's great," she wrote. "Really, really great. You'll love it. And how Josh Homme is not yet a household name is quite beyond me."

Manson's complements extended to Dalle, also: "That girl has a crazy voice. She can really sing and what's even cooler about her is that she has no fucking idea just how good she is."

Homme, who has been recording with drummer Joey Castillo, multi-instrumentalist Troy Van Leeuwen and Alain Johannes, says the band has recorded about eighteen songs, though he is still unsure about a release date or final track listing.

"A workaholic's work is never done," he quips.

• 
  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
• 
  MOVIES 'Great Gatsby' Is a Crushing Disappointment
• 
  TV Why You Should Watch 'Happy Endings'
• 
  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories