The co-leaders of this Palm Desert, Calif. band haven't always acted like perfect gentlemen. Josh Homme served probation time for a 2004 barroom brawl. And Jesse Hughes went through rehab some years ago to beat his drug addiction. But often it's the guys who aren't so perfect who know how to have the most fun.
The Eagles of Death Metal play joyous garage rock that's blessed with an awesome and sometimes bawdy sense of humor. The band proved their ferocious wit on their 2006 release, Death by Sexy. On that album, Homme and Hughes postured about their virility with ridiculous glee.
Heart On starts out sounding a lot like "Brown Sugar"-era Rolling Stones. With lines like "I'll tell you anything baby 'cept the truth," the band launches another tongue-in-cheek ode to rogue male behavior.
Heart On's most noteworthy compositions are two gorgeous pop tracks that starkly depart from comedy rock. They make the point that EODM is hardly one-dimensional. The wistful guitar riff on "Now I'm a Fool" is the sound of regret. The chord progression on "How Can a Man With So Many Friends Feel So All Alone" descends like a mood sinking into sadness. For three beautiful minutes, bittersweet nostalgia reigns.
Three albums into their career, the Eagles of Death Metal live up to what they really are - the Masters of Party Rock.