Hmmm, it’s soo weird to hear these bands i.e.

Foo Fighters
TCV

and similar…there’s something lacking, good riffs but where is the guitar past the riffs? – no solos, it leaves you wanting for more. It simply isn’t complete. Same goes for vocals, they are there but not quite, imagine Nirvana without Kurt’s voice/screams/growl…incomple te.

Imagine Zep without Jimmy Page…incomplete. Many of today’s bands have the ingredients, but not ALL the ingredients.

Never got into Foo Fighters nor this Vulture venture which seems short in being a complete band.

Very skeletal. Short on the guitar skill and vision.

However one can not take away from their effort and work that went in so kudos! …and maybe we’ll again hear a band that offer that full sonic vision!

You guys gave this masterpiece a 3.5 and U2 5 stars. God you guys suck.

The songs are pretty poor, like the last couple of Queens albums. Disappointing, to say the least.

Sweet! Shame on you clowns for bad mouthing this album already. It has been online for what 24 hours? Give it some time and stop hating. I swear people just make stupid comments like that just because there jaded.

I am with Jeff on this one – I dig this album plenty!

Maybe like U2, this music may be too challenging for some folks…

You guys are seriously smoking something bad if you think this is only a 3.5

You gave Wolfmother 4 stars. Check your staff RS. They’re so lost.

Rob Sheffield you wouldn’t know good music if it hit you in the balls.

“short on guitar skill and vision” are you kidding me?
are we listening to the same album. Do you Know who Josh Homme is….this is why the subscriptions dwindle to your adultcotemporarypopstar mag.

Agreed, Rob Sheffield has no idea what a good album sounds like.

haven’t listened to it yet but is it alright if I still hit Sheffeild in the balls?

This music isn’t for everyone. That is certain. some people hated the last QOTSA album, and i loved it. It just matter what you like. If your into the more, dare i say “traditional” rock, this is a total 5 star piece of perfection. but if your not a fan of these artists other bands, you probably wont care for this to much. (so stop commenting if you already know you don’t like their other stuff, we get it!)

Rolling Stone has never recognized good music and genuine talent. What do you expect from a magazine that gave a Jonas Brothers album 4 stars and a Lil Wayne album 5 stars, but once gave a QUEEN, yes, a QUEEN album 2 stars, and they never bothered giving Led Zeppelin albums any stars at all. And it still continues today. Muse’s latest album got 3 stars, The Killers’ Sam’s Town got 2 stars, and now this. I seriously wonder why RS bothers existing anymore. They have as much credibility judging music as the Disney channel does. Fuck them.

RS gave ST ANGER 3.5 stars.

So you’re telling me ‘Scumbag Blues’ is on par with a track from St. Anger? Where’s the filler on this album, by the way?

Seems to me like Sheffield went into writing this review thinking ‘hmmm, its late, I gotta get up early, I’ll just drop as many lame/way-off Zeppelin comparisons as possible and put it on in the background while I watch Desperate Housewives’.

Great album. I think i’ll be going out and purchasing this one. The quality will be better.

I got to see them twice in Austin and they tore it up. Finally i can stop listening to crappy bootlegs and jam the real thing.

BTW, i saw (and met!) Wolfmother last week and they kicked serious ass. Their new album most definitely deserved the 4 star treatment.

Three-and-a-half stars is about right. The songs are extremely well executed, but not that original. Based on the U-Toob clips I’ve seen, they rock live. I mean Rawk.

Man I hate seein RS do this. This album should be at least four stars. I understand some people not liking this, but Sheffield must be deaf or somethin. He’s crazy

I guess RS didn’t like my comment about how Sheffield must have had this album on in the background while he was watching Desperate Housewives…

How else could he give this album the same 3.5 stars that RS gave St. Anger?

Generic and uninteresting. Repetitive after only one listen. Disappointed that it lacked Dave singing harmonies, in my opinion he is a better singer than Homme. John Paul Jones is solid, but unremarkable. Dave is a fantastic drummer, but this recording didn’t capture his sheer power.

Of course the bar for this record was set beyond anything these guys could deliver simply from their rock star status’. However, if the same songs were released by a group of unknowns 90% of you wouldn’t even give it an ear.

The album contains a few catchy tracks that quickly lose their sparkle after a few listens. The rest seems like filler.

Super-group or aging lounge act? Where the is this albums “edge”?

Download worthy tracks:
1. No One Loves Me and Neither Do I
3. New Fang

2.5/5

This is music for musicians. So the posers wouldn’t understand how rockin’ this shit is. Yeesh, everything isn’t a Zeppelin rip off.

The album hasn’t even dropped yet, how the hell can anybody hate when there’s so little new music coming out anymore that’s worth a crap. This is a live band anyway and they’re out of this world in concert

Seriously, if there is one thing I severely dislike is generic music. TCV is NOT generic.
U2 is a good band. Do they deserve 5/5? NO.
Lil’ Wayne is a jump-around rapper. Does he deserve a 4.5/5? NO.
Only in a state of ignorance one can say that U2 and Lil’ Wayne delivered better than TCV.

Jaded Indeed, Rolling Stone gives countless run-of-the-mill pop bands back to back 4/4.5 star reviews while this album receives 3.5?

You need your innovative music spoon-fed to you, don’t you? I’ll steer clear of subscribing to this biased magazine in the future.

I’d like to see this guy attend and review a live TCV show. I believe that is what rock and roll was and should still be about. How many bands have put out great shiny pretty perfect albums that sounded shite live? Small venues rule. Yeah. Word to ya mutha.

To be honest, it really doesn’t matter what Mr Sheffield or the rest of the “critics” think of this album, it rocks like it should, and actual fans will love it. TCV won’t be worried, theyll just have a ball playing it live! Long may they continue!!

Is there a reason you deleted my last comment? It was well on topic.

The verdict has, the public is enjoying Them Crooked Vultures far more than Rob Sheffield anticipated that we should. I think it deserves a better, unbiased review.

Go check this album out for yourself, Rolling Stone is the devil.

I saw them live, and it was the best show i have even seen. Songs like this havent been written in along time. I agree that they are not generic at all, most of the people on here should probably go listen to some nickleback, really, TCV deserves much more credit.

It’s just a dull, lazy record.

I could be envious and say that I wish I would have been so successful in the music business past that I could afford to just get together with some friends and jam and turn it into a tour and a record and just have fun for the sake of making music – BUT – I won’t say that – because I think I would be capable of coming up with something alot more interesting and maybe even something capable of taking listeners to another place for a few brief moments…other than Hell. Then again, Zep themselves lost me by the time they became jaded characatures of themselves by 1978. Shame on such a waste of talent. Shame on them . No stars.

This is far superier to any other rock record out, even pearl jams new record. Its their first release, give them a break. This is like audioslave when they first appeared, its sounded too much like their signature groups. If this group stays together, which i doubt, and try to break away from their other groups signature sound, then the next release could be a force to reckond with.

Three and half stars what a joke! A typical RS review by somebody who has there taste buds guess where??? You might want to give the album a few listens before you actually formulate a proper opinion on it. This is by far one of the best albums I’ve heard in a long time and I grew up in the seventies when the best albums in rock music were made. This LP is a classic and it will stand the test of time. It’s reviews like this that remind me why I’ll never renew my subscription to RS. You guys stink!!

Wonderful tittle to divulge intention the band.To come off-okey,not as everybody knows to count on vulture.But line-up to be strong,good rock old man!

I can’t understand a music fan NOT liking this album. If it had come out at any time during the seventies it would’ve been major!
I started listening with a high degree of skepticism. Could care less about Dave Grohl and everything he’s involved with including Foo Fighters. But this is different. No, they don’t nail it in the head 100%, but when they do, and it happens often as in the majestic ‘Elephants’, well, let’s say it just makes you happy that Britney Spears exist so that I can pour champagne into the chasm between the two and celebrate.

Damn politics….it seems like Rolling Stone is only into giving 4 star reviews to bands they put on the cover anymore.

It’s an even bigger shame when you consider that they mostly don’t even put musical acts on the cover anymore.

this is absolutely ridiculous. 3.5 stars! shame on you, rob sheffield. good natured quickie? are you absurd?! you didn’t spend even 5 minutes writing this shameful review of the best album in years.

music souds lame to their own standards, seems they did not too much effort on it.

if they could just added buckethead and axl rose to this band they might have turned out to be good

buckethead, axl, jp jones and david grohl that would be some friggin jam wouldnt it?

Sure its going to sound like zep,qotsa riffs thats where these guys come from… But listen to the album for what it is , an experiment between 3 musos trying new grooves/sounds . They could all comfortably write standard 4/4 rock n roll hits but thats not what this is aiming for. besides they have already proved they can do it in the past…

Anyone who believes this to be uninteresting or generic needs to have their hearing checked. That, or they have an irrational dislike or negative propensity toward one or more of the group members and are simply tossing around words to judge an album like some pretentious and hip socialite. Do us all a favour — shut up and sit down.

rolling stone hasn’t mattered in over thirty years, I ended up here only by mistakenly clicking on te wrong google link.

PUT JOSH HOMME ON THE COVER. TALK ABOUT A POTENIALLY GREAT STORY

Hey freemanrockin go listen to the crap that axl rose is pumping out as guns and roses and leave a real group of talent alone. P.S. buckethead may be a good player but is nowhere in the same league as Josh Homme.

Whatever happened to songs that sound so good with lyrics that tickle so good to the point where you grinn ear to ear and dream dream dream? It sure isn’t in a collection of feverish “tales from the crypt” waste like this.

keepers of crags large and small…somehow I do not think you could come up with something better than this , because you are not a rock star and have not sold millions of albums and you are envious of the fact that these guys can do exactly what they are doing..making music fot the sake of music and Zeppelin in thier waning days of the Late seventies had more talent than 99% of the crap being put out now…better to rule one day as a lion than live a 1000 years as a lamb….Peace…

4.9/5 (nothings perfect)
great piece of work here from all parties. it seems like Josh, John Paul and Dave really “click” as a band, and that’s phenomenal. fucking stellar riffs, amazing drums, and of course JPJ treats the bass like his beotch. i love it. its a healthy mix of zeppelin and queens. the more i listen to it, the more i love it. BUY IT WHEN IT COMES OUT!!! wont regret it if you love Rock and Roll.

I’m probably the only one who would rather listen to each individual musician in their original band instead of this.

Album of the year hands down.
This review drives home the point that if it weren’t for Matt Taibi and Peter Travers, Rolling Stone wouldn’t be relevant at all. Keep stroking The Strokes and Adam Lambert.

Man, I can’t believe this author gave TCV only 3.5 stars…best album I’ve heard in years…it actually gives me hope about the music industry…no idea how they can give it 3.5 when they gave wolfmother 4…not saying that wolfmother is bad, but Homme is a genius and Grohl and JPJ just fit perfectly with it…dunno if the man has a hate on Ginger Elvis, but this album is a 4.5 or a 5 easily

Jeff u rule!

Maybe it’s too early also to give a high rating to this blowupmind cd until they become a solid band..let’s wait if the make a second cd..and if it’s also awesome..rate it back again RS.

What the fuck are you guys smoking if this is a 3.5?! I’m sure it must be PCP or something, because if it even was some poor quality weed, then you’d fucking know this was the record of the year.

3.5? Jeeez… NEXT!

Everything is right about this album. First (and most importantly) it rocks. 3.5? I’d say 4 but its subjective. The thing that has blown me away is the marketing campaign. Nobody knows what the story is at first, then email blasts every couple of weeks with snippets of songs and an odd behind-the-scenes video to accompany. Then shows, then an album release date, AND NOW the whole thing is available to listen to on-line? Amazing! Even though I’ve listened to the whole album at least 5 times on-line, I’ll be at the store on Tuesday. Good on ya mates!

It totally rocks. There’s no denying it. 3.5? WTF?

No ProTools, this album has real DIY attitude

I honestly cannot understand why so many opeople are commenting the songs are poor or the whole album seems “skeletal”. Some are saying they miss guitar solos or the vocals are lacking…sorry guys you just have no idea. Saying Josh Homme “lacks vision” makes you lose all credibility.

this is an amazing record, the sound sounds so complete, fresh but still there is something so familiar about it and no – thankfully I am not talking about QOTSA familiarity.

Very straight forward music that still manages to open up so many facettes. Definately one of the best pure rock records of the last decade, possibly two decades.

Not surprised by the 3.5 rating though, I have not read a competent review here for years.
Rollingstone has lost its voice years ago, stumbled upon this one by very random factors.

Then again I dont care about reviews either other than out of curiosity and amusement.

This is most definately not “short of vision” like someone mentioned in these comments.
Quite the opposite, one of the most visionary and simply best rock albums of many many years.

This review just goes to show that we are living in a pop era, not a rock era. Hopefully the 20-teens will rawk hard if we can make it past 2012.

great band, great album, oh yeah, great band.

This is what people with too much time and money on their hands sound like. Hommes whining vocals are almost unbearable. A couple of bog standard riffs plus some shinny packaging and a few completely out of touch rock stars and people are hailing it as, and i quote, “one of the most visionary and simply best rock albums of many many years”. This is pub rock (at best) for people who work in call centers and you are all falling for it. Stop taking drugs and start thinking for yourselves.

I wish Davey Graham had a little bit his ears tuned more like his nickname’s own, because he seems deaf. Ugh is deaf funny too.
Reading won’t hurt too, so people could know the correct meaning of the word “whine”.

Great off-shot side project from one of the masters in the business today.

I simply can’t understand a review like this. Dave Grohl brings the band together secretly and writes jams for months. They then master those jams, write some really ominous 1984 style lyrics and start playing shows. Out of nowhere this record comes out, and it’s AMAZING. Stoner rock at it’s best, this band gives mainstream hope to people that listen to Clutch.

Grohl and JPJ are about as solid a rhythm section as you can put together, and to throw in a dark album-wide topic of corruption in politics and the loss of freedom, and Homme’s twisted lyricism to bring it to light, you’ve suddenly got about the sickest concept record I’ve heard in decades. The grooves are what rock and roll is all about, and it’s something no one else seems to be doing right. The songs themselves are a bit long winded at times, but they’ve all got purpose on the record. Smoke a joint, sit down, and listen to the record. Read the CD book, and read every lyric so that you GET it. Take breaks even, just so you can appreciate it piece by piece. This record is pretty genius. Fuck you rolling stone.

The music is definitely in the ‘progressive rock’ genre. But, ask yourselves this question. Is there any 1 or 2 songs that,even after hearing repeatedly, you’d be able to detect a memorable hook? Could you honestly turn off the mp3 player and hum to yourself part of a song and think-’Yeah, that’s a cool song’. My answer was NO. Hey, they’re the best in their business,I’ll agree, but sometimes too much is too much(if you know what I mean).To me, good music is not about seeing how many diff. rhythms and weird vocals/lyrics you can cram into a 4:30 space. Who cares? Gimme something I can remember years from now..ie ‘Stairway…’ or ‘Evermore’

Just listened to it. Meh. I wouldn’t pay any money for it. If you want to hear it, steal it.