Foo Fighters, "Wasting Light" 04/11/2011
By Brendan Harte Gilsenan
✭✭✭✭
(Found in the April 11, 2011 issue of The Breeze)
Wind back the clock. Dave Grohl and company have stepped back into the 1990s.
The Foo Fighters have teamed up with producer of Nirvana's Nevermind, Butch Vig and recorded their latest release completely non-digital with analog equipment. Original guitarist Pat Smear is back in the fold, and Grohl's former Nirvana band mate, bassist Krist Novoselic, makes a guest appearance.
The result of all this nostalgia is Wasting Light, the band's best release since 1999's There Is Nothing Left To Lose.
While the Foo Fighters have always been known for their radio hits, over time their music has become rather formulaic. Yet they've broken from this mold, trading in high-class designer pants for an old pair of tattered jeans.
It's classic Foo Fighters rock - loud guitars, memorable hooks, a bit of screaming and a lot of energy.
Particular standouts are single "Rope" and Grohl's Virginia hometown ode, "Arlandria." The song most reminiscent of the group's biggest hits from the ‘90s is "Back & Forth," which is pop-rock gold from beginning to end.
Your mother is sure to loathe the balls-to-the-wall "White Limo." But that's all right as the song hearkens back to songs like "Weenie Beenie" or "Enough Space," when Grohl was constantly on his A-game.
Few parts still stink of cheese. Grohl's vocal delivery of the album's opening line comes across a little cliché, and the chorus of "These Days" is stereotypical of many a Foo's chorus from the past decade. Fortunately, these are only bits and pieces, rather than entire songs.
Things slow down a bit with "I Should Have Known," but the intensity remains. Wasting Light is the Foo Fighters' anti-ballad album. There is not one to be found, and there doesn't even appear to be a single acoustic guitar on the entire album.
On Wasting Light, the Foo Fighters balance their younger carefree approach with the maturity developed over the years. Strong backing vocals from those other than Grohl also add a new, exciting flavor to the band's sound.
Overall, it's a cohesive record that leaves little temptation to skip tracks.
In the standout album closer "Walk," Grohl sings, "Learning to walk again / I believe I've waited long enough / Where do I begin? Learning to talk again / Can't you see I've waited long enough? / Where do I begin?"
An analogy for learning how to write a solid album again, perhaps? Probably not, but it applies pretty damn well.
Regardless, can't you see that we've waited long enough, Dave? But you've redeemed yourself. We can now forgive you for the past two mediocre albums. Apology accepted.
1. Bridge Burning
2. Rope
3. Dear Rosemary
4. White Limo
5. Arlandria
6. These Days
7. Back & Forth
8. A Matter of Time
9. Miss The Misery
10. I Should Have Known
11. Walk
✭✭✭✭
(Found in the April 11, 2011 issue of The Breeze)
Wind back the clock. Dave Grohl and company have stepped back into the 1990s.
The Foo Fighters have teamed up with producer of Nirvana's Nevermind, Butch Vig and recorded their latest release completely non-digital with analog equipment. Original guitarist Pat Smear is back in the fold, and Grohl's former Nirvana band mate, bassist Krist Novoselic, makes a guest appearance.
The result of all this nostalgia is Wasting Light, the band's best release since 1999's There Is Nothing Left To Lose.
While the Foo Fighters have always been known for their radio hits, over time their music has become rather formulaic. Yet they've broken from this mold, trading in high-class designer pants for an old pair of tattered jeans.
It's classic Foo Fighters rock - loud guitars, memorable hooks, a bit of screaming and a lot of energy.
Particular standouts are single "Rope" and Grohl's Virginia hometown ode, "Arlandria." The song most reminiscent of the group's biggest hits from the ‘90s is "Back & Forth," which is pop-rock gold from beginning to end.
Your mother is sure to loathe the balls-to-the-wall "White Limo." But that's all right as the song hearkens back to songs like "Weenie Beenie" or "Enough Space," when Grohl was constantly on his A-game.
Few parts still stink of cheese. Grohl's vocal delivery of the album's opening line comes across a little cliché, and the chorus of "These Days" is stereotypical of many a Foo's chorus from the past decade. Fortunately, these are only bits and pieces, rather than entire songs.
Things slow down a bit with "I Should Have Known," but the intensity remains. Wasting Light is the Foo Fighters' anti-ballad album. There is not one to be found, and there doesn't even appear to be a single acoustic guitar on the entire album.
On Wasting Light, the Foo Fighters balance their younger carefree approach with the maturity developed over the years. Strong backing vocals from those other than Grohl also add a new, exciting flavor to the band's sound.
Overall, it's a cohesive record that leaves little temptation to skip tracks.
In the standout album closer "Walk," Grohl sings, "Learning to walk again / I believe I've waited long enough / Where do I begin? Learning to talk again / Can't you see I've waited long enough? / Where do I begin?"
An analogy for learning how to write a solid album again, perhaps? Probably not, but it applies pretty damn well.
Regardless, can't you see that we've waited long enough, Dave? But you've redeemed yourself. We can now forgive you for the past two mediocre albums. Apology accepted.
1. Bridge Burning
2. Rope
3. Dear Rosemary
4. White Limo
5. Arlandria
6. These Days
7. Back & Forth
8. A Matter of Time
9. Miss The Misery
10. I Should Have Known
11. Walk
