PICK OF THE WEEK

New Fang , Them Crooked Vultures

Talk about a power trio: Them Crooked Vultures consists of Queens of the Stone Age's singer/guitarist Josh Homme, Foo Fighters/Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.

The first single from the group's Nov. 17 album brings the sleaze back to rock 'n' roll, with some nasty slide guitar and a Physical Graffiti-era stomp.

THE PLAYLIST

USA TODAY music critic Brian Mansfield highlights 10 of the most intriguing tracks, new or old, found during the week's listening.

For Your Entertainment Adam Lambert	Sexual plaything or S&M dominant? The American Idol runner-up flirts with both roles on his hedonistic first single.
Never My Love Har Mar Superstar (featuring Adam Green)	This update of The Association's 1967 hit for the Whip It soundtrack keeps the sunny vocals and adds sweet brass lines.
Untouchable Taylor Swift	Swift delivers a new pop tune from the Fearless Platinum Edition, written with Cary and Nathan Barlowe.
Mess of Me Switchfoot	In the same vein as Meant to Live — "I've made a mess of me/I wanna get back the rest of me" — with noisier guitars.
Hands The Almost	Underoath drummer Aaron Gillespie proves Say This Sooner was no fluke with this first single from Monster Monster.
Broke Down on the Brazos Gov't Mule	Mule axeman Warren Haynes squares off against ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons. You'll want headphones for this one.
Once Upon a Summertime Ellis Paul	The New England folk singer's tender reminiscence about how "after the very first time, everything changes."
Violets of Dawn Mary Chapin Carpenter	Romantic imagery spills out softly on this remake from The Village: A Celebration of the Music of Greenwich Village.
Little Sparrow Dolly Parton	A haunting melody gets eerie Dobro work from Richie Owens and ethereal harmonies on her new Live in London.
An Old Friend of Mine Joe Nichols	A newly sober Nichols lets down the bottle with a performance worthy of vintage Merle Haggard or George Jones.

		John Paul Jones, left, Josh Homme and Dave Grohl.are Them Crooked Vultures. Their new album arrives Nov. 17. By Dustin Rabin