Queens Of The Stone Age/ Rated R (Deluxe Edition)

Queens Of The Stone Age
Rated R (Deluxe Edition)
(Universal/Polydor)

It's little wonder that when this album came out in 2000 grunge fans flocked to it like dogs that had heard a strange whistle. The attitude of the record recalled the addictive derangement of Nirvana, but the band boosted things up a level with a fireworks display of skill, punch and arrangement.
There are other reasons why Rated R was one of the best American rock records of the last decade: the rhythmical horse-kick of 'Feel Good Hit of the Summer', the defiant welcoming of the apocalypse on 'Better Living Through Chemistry', the sabotage-orgasm of 'Tension Song'... and that's not to mention the sexual swagger that runs through it like a pair of steel-capped boots.
And now, just like Arnie, it's back to kick your ass! CD2 is a collection of B-sides from the era, including the Stooges romp of 'Ode To Clarissa', the bomb-diffusing cinematic tension of 'You Re So Vague' and 'Never Say Never' (which contains the ultimate ladies man proverb: "I might like you better if we slept together" - no wonder my shag-addicted best friend liked them so much).
Topping off this decent value reissue, CD2 suddenly morphs into a 'Live At Reading Festival' collection. According to the laws of festival wind, this should sound like an accidental experiment in surround sound, but the recording stands up - capturing the enormity and adrenalin of the occasion.