Eagles Of Death Metal is a simple band—the
kind whose idea of a concept album is illustrated, in full detail, by the words
that adorn the CD spine. So 2006's Death By Sexy was a lecherous crawl
through boogie-rock's, ahem, lower climes, while Heart On represents the planting
of something firm, high-altitude, and high-octane—albeit equally
lecherous and dealing almost exclusively in boogie-rock.
The new album differs from its predecessor in a
more concrete way as well. Even a band whose on-album aesthetic is as unfussy
as this one's—two dudes, a handful of riffs, lots of 'tude, loads of
'stache—can wind up in a creative slump. Last time around, main man Jesse
"The Devil" Hughes set out to hone his song-craft, as always with an eager
partner in Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme. But EODM thrives on
confidence, not exploration, and Heart On finds the pair plenty cocksure.
"Anything 'Cept The Truth" mines the Stones'
swagger and licks ("Brown Sugar," specifically) like only these Eagles can, "Cheap
Thrills" subsists on big riffs and falsettos, and "Prissy Prancin'" openly
praises a wigglin' and jigglin' ass over repetitive gee-tar grind. It's oddly
refreshing, and by playing to its strengths, EODM does manage to sneak in a few
new tricks. "High Voltage" is a compellingly kitschy amalgam of funk and blooze,
and "Solo Flights" might be the band's most introspective track yet. No
surprise that it's about masturbation.