For the first time in almost three years, the Foo Fighters are back with a brand new full-length studio album of rock and roll.
With Concrete and Gold, Dave Grohl et al have put forth another strong argument against the "rock and roll is dead" trope that we hear all too often. And through the 11 tracks on the album we get a full taste of everything we love about the band, their music, and a reminder that after more than 20 years since Grohl recorded the band's self-titled debut album, they remain as relevant and rocking as ever.
For more than 45 minutes, Concrete and Gold is a journey of guitar riffs, heavy drum work, melodies, screams, and more. T-Shirt, the one minute and 23 second opener reminds me of Queen... which is a new comparison to make for me with the Foos, but to me, it's there. And from then on, it's Foo Fighters playing like you know they can, expect them to, and enjoy every.
Fans are already familiar with the first two singles from the album, (number one single) Run, and The Sky Is A Neighborhood, and now that the album has been released, it won't be long until friends of the Foos will be singing along to the entire tracklist, and not just those two offerings.
Note: The Sky Is A Neighborhood already has nearly 6.5 million views on YouTube after only 3 weeks. That's impressive. Also, we really dig this Rolling Stone interview about the vid - Dave Grohl Talks Directing Kids, Neil DeGrasse Tyson Influence for New Foo Fighters Video
This record sounds big, it plays big, and it makes me (and should make all Foo Fighters fans) want to be in a big crowd to see the band play it live. It will interesting to see how the band handles things like the saxophone, choral vocals, and other studio aspects of the record when they do take it on the road (and hopefully make it back to Canada), but having seen the band play live (supporting Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace in 2008), I have no doubt that they'll do it justice and bring it to life every night on every stage.
With all that talk about big sound, this should also be kept in mind... It can be too easy to listen to this record, or any rock record, and overlook the ability of songwriters like Dave Grohl to create a track like Happy Ever After (Zero Hour). And we shouldn't do that. The guitars don't ring, the drums don't bang, and there won't be moshing and fist pumping action like there will be from other tracks on Concrete and Gold, but this is Grohl's Beatles influence shining through. And while I may be projecting that because we've all heard Grohl talk about how much he loves the British legends, again, to me it's there.
It's a track like that, mixed in with Run, La Dee Da, and Make It Right that completes this album and gives it depth. This is not a one-note album. Understand that going in. Enjoy the hell out of it on repeat. And leave a comment telling us your favourite track on Concrete and Gold.
Foo Fighters, Concrete and Gold Tracklist
1. T-Shirt
2. Run
3. Make It Right
4. The Sky Is A Neighborhood
5. La Dee Da
6. Dirty Water
7. Arrows
8. Happy Ever After (Zero Hour)
9. Sunday Rain
10. The Line
11. Concrete And Gold
Love the Foo Fighters and want some Dave Grohl story time? Check out this animated short: Foo Fighters - The Making of Concrete and Gold
