Maps of Music

Era Vulgaris (2007)

Where the lyrics of Era Vulgaris take you, and where it was really made.

The title track was left off the album and given only to fans on a promotional CD, yet it was later included as a bonus track on the UK edition.

Key places

Recording at Cherokee Studios (2007)

Recording site Cherokee Studios — The album was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood between July 2006 and April 2007. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Steakhouse Studios (2007)

Recording site TRS Studios — The album was also recorded at Steakhouse Studios in Los Angeles. The point is set at the city center of Studio City, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Sound City Studios (2007)

Recording site Sound City Studios — The album was recorded at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys. The point is set at the city center of Van Nuys, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mixing at Bay 7 Studios (2007)

Recording site Bay 7 Studios — The album was mixed at Bay 7 Studios in North Hollywood. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Era Vulgaris: fifth studio album by American rock band Queens of the Stone Age
• Released June 12, 2007 through Interscope Records, the band's last album on the label
• Debuted at No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling 52,000 copies in its first week
• Reached top ten in other countries, including No. 7 in the UK, No. 5 in Canada, and No. 4 in Australia
• Singles: "Sick, Sick, Sick" in May 2007, "3's & 7's" in early June, and "Make It wit Chu" in October

Background

• Inspired by frontman Josh Homme's daily drives through Hollywood
• Homme described the record as "dark, hard, and electrical, sort of like a construction worker"
• The title refers to the Latin term for Common Era; Homme chose it for the sound of "the Vulgar Era"
• "Into the Hollow" had been performed by Homme and Chris Goss as The Fififf Teeners
• "Make It wit Chu" had been recorded as a Desert Sessions track

Recording

• Recorded from July 2006 to April 2007
• Recorded at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, Steakhouse Studios in Los Angeles, and Sound City Studios in Van Nuys
• Mixed at Bay 7 Studios in North Hollywood
• Recorded and mixed by Alain Johannes; produced by Josh Homme and Chris Goss as The Fififf Teeners
• Goss and Johannes were replaced by Dean Fertita (keyboard) and Michael Shuman (bass) for later bonus track recordings and the supporting tour

Cover

• Cover features the two lightbulbs from the promotional video, Bulby and his pirate accomplice
• Some copies carry a red and yellow rectangle spoofing the Parental Advisory seal, reading “Rental Advisory: Freedom Not for Purchase”

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band formed in Palm Desert, California, in 1996 by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme.
• The band was founded shortly after the dissolution of Homme's previous band Kyuss.
• Its self-titled debut album was released in 1998.

Members

• Josh Homme is the only constant member through multiple line-up changes.
• The line-up since 2013 consists of Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita, and Jon Theodore.
• Former members include Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegan, Joey Castillo, and Natasha Shneider.

Career

• Rated R (2000) was the band's major label debut with Interscope Records and was critically and commercially successful.
• Songs for the Deaf (2002) featured Dave Grohl on drums and was certified gold in 2003.
• ...Like Clockwork (2013) became the band's first album to top the Billboard 200 chart.
• The band has been nominated for 9 Grammy Awards.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Reviews were generally positive, with a Metacritic rating of 75 out of 100, a decline from the previous two studio albums
• Rolling Stone gave the album four stars, the first time the magazine had done so since the band's self-titled debut
• Rolling Stone called it intricately crafted, meticulously polished, and ruthlessly efficient in its pursuit of depraved rock thrills
• AllMusic's review was particularly glowing and said the album is as different from Lullabies as Lullabies was from Songs for the Deaf
• The Observer said the band had turned its back on the mainstream and called the album uneasy, brooding, and gripping
• Jon Pareles of The New York Times picked it as the tenth best release of 2007
• Q magazine gave two stars out of five
• The Village Voice criticized Homme for a lack of originality and described the sound as listless
• The Guardian called the lyrics clichéd and noted the lack of former bassist Nick Oliveri
• Entertainment Weekly wrote that no song on the album would be remembered or revisited

Reappraisal

• Uncut's review was also particularly glowing
• AllMusic lowered its original four-and-a-half star rating to four stars in 2013, when ...Like Clockwork was released

Records

• Debuted at No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard 200
• Sold 198,000 copies in the US and 521,000 worldwide before leaving the charts
• Lullabies to Paralyze had sold 342,000 copies in the US by March 2007
• Songs for the Deaf had sold 986,000 copies in the US alone as of June 2007

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The title track "Era Vulgaris", featuring Trent Reznor, was released separately on the You Know What You Did promotional CD and on the UK edition of the album.
• Some copies carry a spoofed Parental Advisory seal; it was the first Queens of the Stone Age album since Rated R without a genuine seal.
• The lightbulb characters on the cover were created by Morning Breath Inc., with overall art direction from Jason Noto and Doug Cunningham.
• Julian Casablancas performed synth guitar and backing vocals on "Sick, Sick, Sick".
• Mark Lanegan sang backing vocals on "River in the Road".

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact