Queens Of The Stone Age – Queens Of The Stone Age: Special Edition

In early 1998 Dave Grohl went on record naming then-unknown Californian outfit Queens Of The Stone Age as his favourite band on the planet. If that provoked a few perplexed expressions at the time, hindsight shows that the former Nirvana tub thumper was way ahead of the curve.

This reissue sees QOTSA's seminal debut lovingly remastered and subsequently improved, not least thanks to the inclusion of additional tracks, such as The Bronze, previously only available via an obscure split EP. Frankly Josh Homme's career – post-Kyuss or otherwise – has never bettered Regular John, Avon or If Only, the opening three songs on this brilliantly paced record.

Homme plays the majority of the instruments concerned and thus this album serves as the most undiluted example of his musical vision. With QOTSA now serving as one of the last bastions of excellence in modern rock music, it goes without saying that you should immediately familiarise yourself with their beginnings.