Foo Fighters: Concrete and Gold
Foo Fighters
Concrete and Gold
(RCA/Roswell Records)
Dave Grohl is settling into his role as rock n roll uncle nicely. There arenât many musicians in the world that can call up Paul McCartney and ask him to jam, play drums for Queens of the Stone Age, or continually play Tom Petty (RIP) songs on tour just as comfortably as a Motorhead banger. Grohl has never been one to reinvent himself on a regular basis and there is formula that he has perfected over time. His more ambitious projects like the HBO documentary Sonic Highway, which he directed, was pretty awesome (the album not so much). And heâs so damn funny, I watch any and all moments of Dave Grohl tomfoolery. Unfortunately I canât say that I have that same interest in all Foo Fighters records.
That doesnât mean the band isnât interesting. Grohlâs enigmatic and contagious personality propels the Foo Fighters forward and their new record Concrete and Gold continues that drive. The record is really good, and doesnât veer too far from that Grohl formula. 90% of the songs are just well written, immediately detectable, Foo Fighters anthems. I would argue that this record is the bandâs best since The Color and the Shape.
Right off the bat the short, minute long âT-Shirtâ showcases the light/heavy/light with the tongue-in-cheek lyric âI donât want to be king, I just want to sing love songs, pretend thereâs nothing wrongâ before exploding. âRunâ is a chemical experiment of guitars and Grohlâs rasp, leaving you wondering how long he can keep his voice. âThe Sky is a Neighborhoodâ is a moving, earwormy, brilliant piece of songwriting with a chorus ripe for a singalong. âDirty Waterâ is reminiscent of a 1995 B-side from the bandâs debut. âArrowsâ and âThe Lineâ follow suit with scrumptious 70s tinged rock n roll.
âSunday Rainâ is where itâs at though. A song with a very capable Paul McCartney on drums and equally capable Taylor Hawkins handling lead vocal duties with a Beatles-esque chorus. Itâs a great song, and a high point for the album and the band.
Did I mention that Justin Timberlake appears on the song âMake it Rightâ, and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men fame, makes an appearance on album closer, and title track âConcrete and Gold?â Apparently, Stockman was invited for an impromptu barbecue thrown at the studio where both he and the Foo were recording. It all just makes you wonder whatâs next for a band who has reached the summit. Whatever it is, the formula still works.