Ann Takes Us Through WASTING LIGHT by FOO FIGHTERS

Posted on Aug 7, 2011 / Posted by Ann Allen /

Let me just start by saying that I am a huge fan of FOO FIGHTERS and I like to think of DAVE GROHL as the ‘thinking person’s rockstar.’ Anyone who loves Dave, or merely likes and appreciates him, knows it is pretty much going to be a cold day in hell if, and/or when, Dave does, records, or says something ‘douchey’ for the press to grab hold of and make fun of.  He’s just too cool. In fact, Dave is so cool, he could come out on stage, in denim hot pants, with one of his testicles hanging out the side, and do an entire performance, with his guitar mashing against his ball, turning it into a pink pancake and still be the coolest guy in rock n’ roll.  But I digress… Before I begin, yes, this is a somewhat belated review of FOO FIGHTERS’ fabulous new addition to their catalogue, WASTING LIGHT but I say better late than never. Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and the already established, coolest man in a beard, Dave Grohl, have been delivering high-quality, hi-fidelity – if you will – rock and roll now, since the 1990s, which is rare because, as we all know, ‘quality’ isn’t always sustainable, and don’t get me started on the first half of FOO FIGHTERS’ career, being chased and over-shadowed by NIRVANA comparisons everywhere they went. In my opinion, there’s never been a comparison to draw. Not even in pencil. But let’s get down to the music, eh? The first track Bridge Burning, opens the way any first track on an album should; with a punch to the face …or groin.  Okay, maybe not groin, but with a punch somewhere to your body, preferably, not your head or in a manner that could damage your eardrums. Rope, Wasting Light’s second track, kicks in right after track one and this song is a great example of the use of three guitarists and yes, I know in a studio you can lay down a bazillion guitar tracks if you want, however, what I mean here is, you can hear the distinction between the now three guitar players of FOO FIGHTERS, with Pat Smear’s return to the fold.  The same is reflected in tracks like, Back and Forth, Arlandria and the punk-rock–smack-to-the-head, White Limo. FOO FIGHTERS began recording Wasting Light in Dave’s garage, about a year ago, with legendary producer, Butch Vig, at the controls, but what Butch also brought, dusted off and straight out of decades past, is analog recording equipment.  Now, I’m not saying that this album couldn’t be as good as it is if it were digitally recorded, but the recording limitations placed on the band, because you can’t go back and correct mistakes or tweak certain sounds etc, could add additional artistic merit, if that’s even possible. (Not that I know what the hell I’m talking about here.) If that’s not enough, then there’s the guest appearances that take already smokin’ hot songs and cast them out into the galaxy, like a love spell at a coven ritual. The first example of this is the ballad-esque, Dear Rosemary, with surprise guest, Bob Mould, of iconic outfit, HUSKER DU. Bob proves that men can indeed tear it up together, in what is essentially a duet and Bob’s voice blends marvelously with Dave’s, say, like mulled wine, a Jacuzzi, some nudity and a close friend. Nirvana bassist, Krist Novoselic also shows up with a simply wicked bass sound on, I Should Have Known, and trust me, this is the song that needs to be played at ‘eleven’. It’s just got it all. Look, if you already love FOO FIGHTERS, you own this album, but if you’re new to the Foo-experience, I urge you to grab yourself a copy and give it a good, hard, listen to what is fundamentally and dynamically, really fucking good rock n’ roll. Oh, and did I tell you that you can even watch the making of this album in a documentary? Grab yourself a copy of FOO FIGHTERS’ feature-length flick, Back and Forth, immediately! I guarantee you won’t be sorry, but if you are,  go and cry into your Miley Cyrus pillow case, because nobody likes you. Wasting Light is out through RCA and is available from all your usual sources of good music, legal and illegal. A@KR Check out the trailer for Back and Forth, via Foo Fighters’ you tube channel.

Tags: bob mould, butch vig, dave grohl, foo fighters, husker du, knobrock, krist novoselic, nirvana, review