Era Vulgaris

Editors’ Notes Fitting for an album boasting a seemingly sinister title (actually a prosaic Latin term for “common era”), Era Vulgaris likes to flash its fangs before coming in for a smooch. On one hand, the Queens have never sounded more focused and fierce than on “Sick, Sick, Sick,” a rock ‘n’ roll electroshock therapy session powered by a static-soaked riff. But they’ve also never sounded more suave than on “Make It Wit Chu,” a purring piano-funk jam that seduces with a sticky falsetto hook.