By Alan Ohman
a-ohman@onu.edu
The Eagles of Death Metal, the side project of Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme, has always been everything the Queens are not. Whereas the sound of the Queens is a bit deranged and macabre, the Eagles of Death Metal seem to just wanna have some fun. “Heart On,” the third release by the EoDM, keeps up the fun-loving tradition while also working in new directions.
If the title of the album is any indication, this is not an album that John Lithgow’s character in “Footloose” would approve of. In typical EoDM fashion, most of the lyrics are either about dancing or contain thinly veiled sexual innuendo, all the while maintaining a sleaze-rock sound.  “Heart On” is dirty, sweaty, and sexy – as well as more fun than most of the albums that came out in the final months of 2008.
The only problem with “Heart On” is that it sounds too similar to the rest of EoDM’s catalog. Jesse Hughes’s typical falsetto vocals don’t change too much throughout; neither do the guitar licks. They definitely have a fun niche, but it wouldn’t hurt to escape their own boundaries a bit.
One track – “Now I’m a Fool” – does break the mold, and it does so expertly. After five tracks of dirty rock, “Fool” slows the tempo at the perfect time. The guitar melody is striking and haunting, and Hughes sings the ballad with emotion that begs for the “repeat” button to be hit. All in all, it’s one of the better songs in their repertoire.
Unfortunately, the songs post-“Fool” are a similar fare to those preceding it. Each song is fun and full of nice guitar licks, but they seem to lack something that makes them stand out. “Solo Flights” has a demonic chorus, full of distorted guitar and vocal inflection, but the verses lack the unique quality that makes “Fool” such a standout track.
There are certainly no bad tracks on “Heart On,” but “Fool” is the only great song. There are plenty of great moments throughout the album, such as the oriental guitar at the beginning of “I Only Wannabe in L.A.” that mysteriously disappears after twenty seconds, or the bass-heavy intro to “I’m Your Torpedo.”
Even the amount of fun on “Heart On” seems to falter. It doesn’t have a “San Berdoo Sunburn” or a “Cherry Cola” that made the first two albums such incredible listens. “I’m Your Torpedo” makes a great case for being “that song” from “Heart On,” but, as it’s the final track, there are too many just-decent songs to get through first.
Having avoided the sophomore slump, the Eagles of Death Metal have slipped – ever so slightly – into a junior slump. The album is great fun, but it fails to distance itself from its predecessors. Give it a listen, but make sure you hear the first two albums as well. They’re definitely better albums.
Overall Rating, “Heart On”: 3.5/4