This album is way more experimental than your run-of-the-mill stoner rock. Pianos, horns, and electronic effects are pulled out for effect while Josh Homme digs deep into his bag of guitar riffs and comes up with a memorable, headbangable one for each track. The lyrics are typical QOTSA--ironic, intelligent, funny, and drug-induced. Most of the songs are kept short and to the point, and never lose their punch.

And my, what diversity. Loud Olivieri screamers (Tension Head), straightahead yet left-of-center rock (Leg Of Lamb, Autopilot), a floaty little instrumental (Lightning Song), a brilliant number featuring Mark Lanegan on vocals (In The Fade), Sabbath-esque lumbering rock (I Think I Lost My Headache), and just all-out trippiness (Better Living Through Chemistry, Monsters In The Parasol), it's amazing what this band can do with just a 42-minute run time.

While there is one weak song (the aptly titled Quick And To The Pointless), it's not enough to keep me from giving Rated R 5 stars. Whether you're a QOTSA fan, a Kyuss fan, or just love alternative or stoner rock, this is one of the best-executed albums I've heard lately. Highly reccommended.

nonstop sonic pleasure in my car
After going without a car stereo for a few months, i happened to go to the record store and get QOTSA's "rated R" and a car CD player at the same time (along with a bunch of other CDs). I'd heard of QOTSA from an ex who'd loved them (and Kyuss) since way back when (and he also gives this album a thumbs-up). Basically, this CD has not left my car's CD player since. I loved this CD from the first listen (a rare thing) until now, a full 2 weeks of CONSTANT listening later (again a rare thing). I haven't even given my other CDs more than a cursory spin in my car before taking them out, unsatisfied and longing, and putting "R" back in. This album is diverse yet cohesive, melodic yet crunchy-hard-fun, complex yet easy to love. Not all of it is riff-heavy hard stoner rock, but it's great anyway. I'm hard-pressed to name any favorites-- i really love all the songs, although "Better Living Through Chemistry", "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret", "Autopilot", "Leg of Lamb", and "In the Fade" stand out ("Leg of Lamb"'s 'chorus'(?), near the end of the song, is awesome with certain equalizers-- you have to hear the crunchy noise swirls in the background to get the full effect, which for some reason is not possible in my home stereo, only in my car). Mark Lanegan sings on "In the Fade", and as usual, his amazing, sexy voice adds to an already instrumentally great song. This album has made me start making mix tapes for friends again, including at least 3 QOTSA songs on each. I definitely recommend this album for anyone who likes to listen to their music LOUD.

Queens of the Stone Age return
I'll make this quick and to the pointless. It is a good album if you like queens of the stone age. It is not their best album- Songs for the Deaf. It has enough to songs on it to buy but in my opinion contains fillers.

Baby baby your so sweet
the only album that compares to this is songs for the deaf but that dosent count cause its the best cd ever. there is no counting the times i have blasted this cd and ran around my house wearing nothing but a fake red beard screaming "baby baby your so sweeeet" then jumped off my balcany and screamed "im so old and your so young". and theres no saying how many times ive seen a little girl walking down the street and had the wonderful words of nick oliveri come to mouth....

this cd rocks

Stoner Rock Madness
I think this is the best effort from QOTSA, because it is more heavy metal oriented than Songs For The Deaf, and the songwriting is better. The mix of heavy metal, stoner rock, and commercial rock is winning. On some tracks bassist Nick Oliveri sings, giving the song a screeching black metal sound. Two of theses songs are Quick And To The Pointless, and Tension Head. This is one of the best rock albums of the last 5 years. You should go and get it.
Call it "stoner rock" if you must, but the sophomore release from the Queens of the Stone Age moves mosh music into a woozier realm. Which isn't to say it isn't plenty crunchy, but former Kyuss kingpin Josh Homme and company (including guests Mark Lanegan and Barrett Martin of the Screaming Trees) create an intoxicating brew by mixing metal, alt, and garage-rock elements together and making it smoke! --Steven Stolder
Trippy, forceful, and timeless, Rated R is rife with heavy, heady, trance-inducing post-hippie creations that recall Soundgarden and Fu Manchu. Singer/guitarist Josh Homme, founder of the defunct but much-worshipped "stoner-rock" band Kyuss, heads the group. And while he's joined by guests such as Mark Lanegan and Barrett Martin of the Screaming Trees, it's the oddball songs rendered by Homme's sexy voice and searing guitars that make this album sing. Kudos too, to the producer Chris Goss, formerly of another remarkable band, Masters of Reality. The Bowie-like surrealism of "Auto Pilot" makes it this set's classic; in fact, much of Rated R presents dark, Cocteau-like idiosyncrasies, often aided by touches of surprising humor. In the tongue-in-cheek-titled "The Feel-Good Hit of the Summer," the line "Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, marijuana, Ecstasy, and alcohol" is repeated like a mantra, while "Better Living Through Chemistry," is steeped in hallucinogenic sounds. The frenetic "Monsters in the Parasol" is sonically rich, its primal riffing best ingested loud and via headphones, while "Quick and to the Pointless," boasts a raucous MC5/Blue Cheer vibe. This wondrous sophomore effort defies all categorization, except cool. --Katherine Turman
Exclusive UK version of their 2000 album includes a bonus disc featuring 4 tracks, 'Never Say Never', 'You're So Vague', 'Who'll Be The Next In Line' and the controversial cd-rom video for the track 'Feel Good Hit Of The Summer' that's been banned. Slimline double jewel case. 2000 release.
Special UK Only Limited Edition CD that features the Queens' 'feel Good Hit of the Summer' EP as a Bonus Disc