The Foo Fighters have remained a rock powerhouse since their formation in 1994, consistently releasing chart-toppers, Grammy-winning albums, and timeless hits that have solidified their glory as the rock kings of Seattle. Their newly released album, Concrete and Gold, makes an attempt to continue this legacy into 2017.
Concrete and Gold is, much like 2014’s Sonic Highways, one of a kind. However, it differs in its execution. Past Foo Fighters’ albums have seen the band tour different cities and make documentaries on the process while recording new material. Lead singer and songwriter David Grohl told Rolling Stone, “The strangest thing for [us] to do at this point? Just go into a studio and make an album like a (expletive) normal band.”
And so, the album begins with a surprising bang as “T-Shirt” ensures us that the new album is no acoustic guitar compilation. The lead single, “Run,” follows shortly after with explosive guitar bars and Dave Grohl screaming segments fans have embraced since the band’s inception.
The screaming and throwbacks to unheeding, immature guitar riffs resembling earlier works of the band never really let go throughout the duration of the album. In this application, when all songs are listened to in sequence, it works. Separate listening to single songs can become a bit grating on the ears, however, especially when listening to disjointed works like “La Dee Da” and “Arrow” that, while contributing to the album’s greater mission, don’t work well on their own.
The singles headlining the album do a great job of offsetting reliance on other songs like those listed previously. The Line is an immediate classic that is sure to be found in a Greatest Hits compilation for the Foo Fighters ten years down the line. And The Sky is a Neighborhood rings of modern rock trends mixed with classic Foo Fighters to create something worth listening to ten times over.
With all being said, Concrete and Gold proves a worthy addition to any Foo Fighters collection. With their trademark sounds intact and enough new material to keep things interesting, Foo Fighters continues their role as a mainstay in rock n’ roll, in it for the long haul as they top the charts of the Billboard 200 this week.
