Customer Reviews
Rated ESSENTIAL! - By: , 28 Feb 2005 
I took a chance on this album in the first week of it's release & I still think it's the best pyschedelic rock album of the 90's. The singles such as "Lost Art of Keeping a Secret" & "Monsters in the Parasol" are absolutely timeless, "Monsters.." being hilarious as well as genius! The album tracks are just...well mindblowing! "Auto Pilot" & "Better Living Through Chemistry" compliment each other superbly, listening to both those tracks while under the influence is a treat (get some good headphones to hear the voices!). A shame Nick has now left, will they top it with their newie, "Lullabies to Paralyse"? Doubt it, but with the Queens, anything is possible.
Brilliant. - By: , 06 Jun 2004 After hearing the amazing Songs For the Deaf, I was instantly hooked on the Queens, so Rated R was a must-have purchase. When you first hear the first track, Feel Good Hit Of The Summer, You think "is that reallly it?" but by the end of another listen, you're addicted (not literallly) & will go around humming the simple yet effective tune for ages. The next two tracks, The Lost Art... & Leg of Lamb are more melodic, & are probably two of the best songs on the album. My other particular favourite song is Monsters in the Parasol, Which has an awesome tune. The rest of the songs are good too, with classy riffage, super-fine drumming & awesome Bass Guitar. There is a dizzy instrumental at the end, which reallly finishes the album off in style.
The Bonus Disc is alright too, having Feel Good Hit...(again) & three other songs, which are catchy. Especiallly Never say Never.
Songs For The Deaf lovers will be a little disappointed with this outing, but only because Songs for the Deaf was such an outstanding Album.
An essential purchase for QOTSA fans & Rock Music fans in general, This album is a modern classic.
Just as you would expect from a band of this calibre! - By: , 24 Jun 2003 Fantastic. When I heard 'Songs for the Deaf' I was blown away. A unique experience of basic rock mixed with.........I am not reallly sure! All I know is that it worked. 'Rated R' is as good, & dare I say it almost better! The highlights are 'The lost art of keeping a secret' (a live version was on 'Songs for the Deaf') & 'Auto Pilot'. Great album, buy now!
A quality album - By: , 01 Jun 2003 one of my favourite albums of the yeah, it can be initail be hard to listen to but quickly becomes in gained on your mind. I cant help but singing along & jumping about to it. A stand out is the single "lost art of keeping a secret"
The Best Of 2000 and Beyond! - By: , 13 Jan 2003 This is an album that will blow you away, if you've heard the new album your way ahead of yourself because although this isn't as heavy nor as fast as SFTD it is QOTSA at their finest. The self-titled album was huge but nothing in comparison to this. It gets straight down to business by blasting the two singles "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer" & "The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret" leaving you thinking there can't possibly be much better than this but there's so much left.
"Leg Of Lamb" & "Auto Pilot" are powerful songs but mere tools to get you used to their psychedelic rock sound in preparation for the massive Bjork inspired "Better Living Through Chemistry" which will leave you wondering quite how much of the 'Nicotine, Valium, Vicodane, Marijuana, Ecstasy & Alcohol' you consumed to feel good this summer. After that head rush you need some calming down but now Josh Homme has got something else for you, the mind destroyingly addictive "Monsters In The Parasol" with Goss & Oliveri adding in some sinister backing vocals. 'I don't even know... what I'm doing here' admits Oliveri before a sudden rush of guitars & vocals leads into "Quick And To The Pointless". Guest star Mark Lanegan is given lead vocals on the darker "In The Fade" before another rush in "Tension Head" then it alll starts to mellow out on the instrumental "Lightning Song" before the final big QOTSA outro "I Think I Lost My Headache" with a mass brass instrumental at the end which will either cause you to end the album prematurely or listen to an artist's attempts to create a musical depiction of a headache (One that still doesn't compare to Radiohead's "The National Anthem").
This album is one of highs & lows that will leave you either loving or loathing the entire album. Altogether the album is a mass hit & one of the greatest albums from 2002. One to add variety to a collection of Rock/Metal music & a great addition to those already fans of the members, QOTSA coming from Screaming Trees (Lanegan), Kyuss (Homme) & Dwarves (Oliveri). To make it alll quite simple, if you don't own this album then do yourself a favour & buy it.
