A fantastic return to form for the Foo Fighters and much needed medicine for these lousy covid times.
Their last album Concrete and Gold was a great big breeze block of hard rock sameyness that did not glitter in anyway. This one retains some of the rawk but amps up the indie-pop factor to a point where everything feels tight and snappy, and almost all the songs feel like they can stand out on their own. Making A Fire gets a good kindling going thanks to some catchy background vocal hooks and the snarling Shame Shame simmers and stews but it’s all else that follows where the record properly ignites. Cloudspotter is a catchy, crunching cumulonimbus of a song whereas centrepiece ballad Waiting For A War evokes old classics such as Times Like These and Best Of You before hurtling towards a fast and frantic, hyper-fuelled conclusion.
At this point the album nestles into a permanent purple patch where the songs remain consistently strong. The title track switches between shifty, spylike verses and a supreme, soulful, surefooted chorus. The blistery, bluesful No Son Of Mine is perhaps the heaviest track here whereas the almost-as-heavy Holding Poison brings in a light dash of synthy new wave. The contrastedly chilled Chasing Birds is a definite highlight with its relaxed 70s vibe ala John Lennon #9 Dream which therefore leaves Love Dies Young to act as a stirring, near-anthemic closer. Medicine At Midnight is a fresh sound for the Foos, oodles of fun and immensely replayable. Just what the doctor ordered.
By: rupert_X