Desert Sessions Vol. 11 & 12
(Matador)
Reviewed by Bridget Herlihy.
It is hard to fathom that it has been 16 years since the last instalment of the Desert Sessions, Josh Homme’s “bizarre supergroup”. Rumours started circulating several months ago that Homme was resurrecting his collective musical project, sparking great anticipation amongst fans and the curious. Sure enough, he has delivered with the release of Volumes 11 (‘Arrivederci Despair’) and 12 (‘Tightwads & Nitwits & Critics & Heels’), recorded over six days in late 2018 by Homme at Rancho De La Luna studios in Joshua Tree, California (hence the moniker ‘Desert’ sessions).
The Desert Sessions are renowned for bringing together an eclectic group of contributing musicians, putting them in a studio setting, letting their individual creative consciouness’ flow, collide and intertwine. Previous iterations of the Desert Sessions have featured the likes of PJ Harvey, Jeordie White, Josh Freese, Troy Van Leeuwen, Mark Lanegan, Alain Johannes, Joey Castillo, Ben Shepherd and Nick Oliveri, to name but a few.
It could be argued that the eight tracks that make up Volumes 11 & 12 feature a new and even more diverse grouping of artists, including Les Claypool (Primus), Matt Berry, Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Mike Kerr (Royal Blood), Matt Sweeney (Zwan, Chavez, Skunk), Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) and relative newcomer Libby Grace. Some would also say a certain Dave Grohl (credited as Töôrnst Hülpft) provides vocals on this album as well, but Josh Homme is keeping that little secret… The result: an interesting and enjoyable collection of tracks that will keep your auditory attention engaged.
Despite some critics claiming that the Desert Sessions’ approach to song writing results in a scrappy mish-mash of noise, the sheer spontaneity of this ongoing project is one of its most appealing qualities; it is this spirit of improvisation that pushes boundaries, and is at the heart of what makes this project so successful. Tracks range from the sublime to the borderline ridiculous (but nonetheless entertaining and undeniably catchy), traversing multiple genres with ease in the space of a couple of minutes.
Opening with the Homme’s rockabilly influence is apparent in several of the tracks (‘Noses in Roses, Forever’, ‘Easier Said Than Done’), yet this remains very much a collaborative effort. Opening track ‘Move Together’, opening with a very simple synth beat, gradually evolves to become a smooth r&b-laced rock track, complete with a hint of 70s nostalgia. ‘Noses in Roses, Forever’ gets the old toes tapping with a good dose of Homme’s signature swagger, while instrumental track ‘Far East For The Trees’ is a great soundtrack for daydreaming on warm summer days.
Electro pop tune ‘Chic Tweetz’ sees comedian Matt Berry take on vocal duties; an amusing track that boasts what has to be some of the most cheesy lyrics in recent history. ‘If You Run’, with melodic vocals by Libby Grace is a beautiful, stripped back song that conjures up images of desert life, adding another dimension to this collection of tracks. In contrast, single ‘Crucifire’ is far more upbeat and guitar-driven, adding to the organic nature of these collaborations.
Overall, Desert Sessions Vols 11 & 12 makes for interesting, varied and enjoyable listening; a very successful group collaboration that at times throws forth unexpected sonic twists and turns.
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