Trackmarks: Queens of the Stone Age - "God Is In The Radio"

"Do It Again" ends around 2:54 and we return to the channel surfing. The wind pushes against us, rips across the desert. On the horizon the sun sets. "Cannot be saved". "He's walking with me". Fuzz. Scratch. The perfect interlude builds towards the eleventh track on Songs for the Deaf. "Hallelujah".

A subtle key stroke repeats. Or is that percussion? Hallelujah. Classic QOTSA expands. Riff based, stoner rock grooves descend. The main riff in "God Is in the Radio" has an ominous bluesy feel, but the track really hits its stride when that opening riff vanishes at 2:49. The drums take the reins and then a vicious solo eases in over the original riff. The sun is disappearing. Fade out. Fade in. Another monster solo erupts.

While "You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar..." is the heaviest entry and "Mosquito Song" could be the album's crowning achievement, "God Is In The Radio" is the necessary step facilitating travel from that blistering opener to the mournful end. We're far away from home. We're lost and this desert seems to stretch forever. But, we're headed west. Running. From the god in the radio.

 

MP3: Queens of the Stone Age - "God Is In The Radio"