FOO FIGHTERS - WASTING LIGHT

I love this album. The Foo Fighters' Wasting Light is one of their best LPs, certainly their best album since 1997's The Colour and The Shape.

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.

2010: A BIG YEAR FOR THE WHO

By now, everyone knows that The Who are playing the Super Bowl in January. (When I first wrote about it, it was a rumor, now it has been confirmed.) And they are supposed to be putting out a new album and touring as well. But I just found out that on March 2, there's going to be a big tribute concert to The 'Oo at Carnegie Hall in New York City, featuring Gov't Mule, Living Colour, Frank Black of The Pixies, Bob Mould, The Smithereens, The Gaslight Anthem and... Bobby McFerrin. I wonder if the organizers will go after any of the artists who paid tribute to The Who at The Kennedy Center Honors last year (including Chris Cornell, Joss Stone, Jack Black and Dave Grohl) or the VH1 Rock Honors show which featured Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Tenacious D and Flaming Lips.

Anyway, proceeds from the show go to six different charities, which you can learn about at the concert's webpage.

Meanwhile, Roger Daltrey who has been doing a solo tour this year, will be doing at least some dates next year: Eric Clapton said Roger would be opening some shows for him. I heard Roger's shows have been pretty cool. I wonder if he will put out a live album. What I really would love to hear is his version of The Who's "Blue, Red and Grey," which he wasn't originally on (Pete Townshend sang that one, and it is one of The Who's most underrated songs).

BOB MOULD TO REVISIT HUSKER DU (FOR ONE NIGHT)

Ever since leaving Husker Du, Bob Mould has been reluctant to spend much time on the band - there was a semi reunion with drummer Grant Hart once. But he doesn't play Husker Du songs in concert (I don't think, at least he never did at any of the shows I've seen) and doesn't like to spend much time talking about it.

So I was surprised to see that he's playing the songs of his former band backed by the band No Age at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in New York next month. Wow, that should be pretty rocking.

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: PRINCE, PETE TOWNSHEND, BOB MOULD AND RECORD STORE DAY

After a week off from The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick on OutQ, I'll be back tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 9 am ET. Up this week:

Prince's triple album: Lotusflow3r, which is sort of a guitar album, MPLsound, more of a dance thing, and Elixr, the debut by his protege, Bria Valente. Bria is kind of like Sade but not as good. As for the two Prince discs, like most Prince post-Diamonds and Pearls, you have to sort of search through an album to find the gems. It's like that.

Rachel Fuller Presents In The Attic: a 2 CD/1 DVD set you can only get at Best Buy, but it is a bargain at $11.99. As I mentioned, it was recorded at Rachel and boyfriend Pete Townshend's "In The Attic" shows, at small venues during off nights on The Who's tour. It features Pete doing some Who classics solo, Pete dueting with Lou Reed on some Velvet Underground classics, and younger artists like Ben Harper, Rachel Yamagata and Joe Purdy (who I discovered from this set), often backed by Pete.

Bob Mould's new album, Life and Times. I don't always love Bob's stuff lately, but this seems like a cool album. Mould is also writing an autobiography, which should be interesting: Husker Du were on SST during an incredible era, his band Sugar almost got huge, he was a writer for WWE, he's just done some cool stuff.

And finally, Saturday is Record Store Day!