Recorded on all analog tape (a piece of the actual master is included in the album if you pre-ordered, I have one) in Dave Grohl's garage (a "ballad-free" zone) it is loud and rocking. When the band recorded two new songs for their Greatest Hits album in 2009, Dave reunited with Nevermind producer Butch Vig. I guess they enjoyed working together ("Wheels" is a great song, albeit 100% different from what they've done here), so they decided to do a full album.
Pat Smear, who was a member of the original Foo Fighters band, rejoined as a touring member after the release of 2007's Echoes, Silence Patience and Grace, and now he's back in the band full time... but Chris Shiflett is still in the band also, so they now have a muscular three guitar attack.
Grohl comes from a hardcore punk background, but his great sense of melody comes through on every song he writes. So even when the guitars and drums are crashing down, there's still great melodies, his songs are memorable. Some of the recent Foo Fighters albums have had a bit of filler - this album has none. If I write about highlights, I'll end up mentioning every song on the album. Seriously. But I will mention "Dear Rosemary," which features Bob Mould on guitar and vocals. Grohl is always really cool about citing his influences, and lately he's been saying that without Bob's old band, Husker Du, he wouldn't be doing what he's doing. I think the band's lineup is maxed out at five members, but I'd love to see Bob join the band! Also, Krist Novoselic plays bass and accordion on "I Should Have Known." It's a great song that will kick ass when they do it live.
It's been a long time since I've said that a Foo Fighters release would be one of my favorite albums of the year, but this will be in the running for my top 10.
1 comment:
Foo Fighters always had a lot to prove. Despite David Grohl's intent to break ties from the shadow of Nirvana, lyrics and song structure for the (newly) quintet were never rocket science, oriented more for the masses than for the exploring connoisseur. That's why after the departure The Colour and the Shape meant, the stagnancy of four subsequent records made the disappointment even more deafening. The same trite of loud/quiet combination and chord progression twisted to all the possible forms called for a rapid change.
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