Eagles of Death Metal // Zipper Down

Eagles of Death Metal

Zipper Down

T-Boy/UME

3/5 stars

If the title of the album doesn't clue you in to the maturity level of Eagles of Death Metal, perhaps this quote from Jesse Hughes will help: "The new album, Zipper Down, really represents to me an attitude and philosophy of life. One should not zipper up, they should zipper down and let it all hang out." Pretty standard stuff for this songwriting team. The band's other permanent member is Josh Homme, lead singer and creative force behind Queens of the Stone Age. Maybe my funny bone is broken, but I have difficulty figuring out what part of their adolescent humor is tongue-in-cheek and what part is tongue-hanging-out, and that's confounding to someone who loves straight-ahead, stripped-down rock and roll. Still, nobody strips it down like EODM. Their fuzzed-out version of Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer" is even sexier than the original. "Skin Tight Boogie" is a funky, glam-tastic party tune. Ready to embrace your inner ninth-grader and have some crude, raucous, dumbed-down fun? Then this is the album for you. – Bryan Toy