Foo Fighters | Album Review

Story by Mitch McCann 

| Published Apr 19, 2011

As one of the few true major rock n’ roll bands left working today, new Foo Fighters material is always met with skepticism. Most seem to think a new album doesn’t mean “this is where we are now,” it means “look at this compared to the old stuff.”

When Dave Grohl and the rest of the gang are in the studio, the question on everyone’s mind is “where does this all fit?” “The Colour and The Shape,” “In Your Honor,” “One by One,” “Nothing Left To Lose” and even “Echoes” have each created a picture of the Foo Fighters’ sound. New pieces either fit or they don’t. “Wasting Light” is the simply newest jigsaw piece in the ever-expanding Foo puzzle.

First single “Rope” provides an easy enough example. Polished, driving guitar and smooth drum work are basically an expectation at this point, but they’re still there. The vocals are perhaps not as tight as one would hope, but Dave keeps on keepin’ on. Later examples like “White Limo” and “A Matter of Time” show off the band’s harder spirit. “Arlandria,” “Back & Forth” and “Bridge Burning” supply much of the album’s gruff heart.

From start to finish “Wasting Light” is only what the Grammy-award winning Foo Fighters want it to be. Nothing more, nothing less. If the schematic doesn’t match with what fans want to see, maybe that’s more their fault than the band’s; but no matter what Foo Fighters you’re looking for, (“Long Road To Ruin,” “Monkey Wrench” or “All My Life” [but maybe not “February Stars”]) there’s something inside “Wasting Light” for you.

While “Wasting Light” may not stand all tall as “Colour,” it’s important to remember that even in the post-‘Greatest Hits’ era, not only are the Foo Fighters inventing new material, they continue to define their sound.