2006 seems to be the Chinese year of the side project, what with Broken Social Scene, James Dean Bradfield, The Raconteurs, Thom Yorke and now this second album from Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme – or ‘Baby Duck’ as his alter ego dictates.
Along with his partner-in-crime Boots Electric (Jesse Hughes to his mum) and a host of other rock star pals, they return on the same premise as Peace, Love, Death Metal: as dirty, bluesy and garagey as is legally allowed. And while that area can be a minefield of clichés, their ingenious solution is simply to go head to head with them, resulting in some tongue-in-cheek action. The first piece of evidence is the single ‘I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News)’, which comes across like QOTSA soundtracking the scene of a drunken brawl in a biker’s bar.
Yet elsewhere on Death By Sexy..., 'Chase The Devil' veers towards Jon Spencer territory and 'Nasty Notion' borrows its funky dance-floor moves from Prince.
For the makers, it’s an excuse to take on a zany persona and run with it. For the listeners, it’s an opportunity to embrace an album which is expertly subtle in its humour, and overtly decadent in its sensibilities. Add to its charm possibly the best album title ever, and you’ve got yourself a good 'un.