Review – Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

Wasting Light is the seventh studio album released by the almighty Foo Fighters, who are still without a doubt one of the biggest and best bands around in planet rock. Dave Grohl recently, and deservedly, received the NME Godlike Genius award, as recognition for the way the Foos have changed the game over the last 16 years, and stayed at the top of the pile all along.

What is great news for fans this weekend is that the whole of the album is streaming online, prior to its official release on 11th April, and it’s a corker!

They have really stripped it all back to basics on this latest release, being recorded in Dave’s garage using only analog equipment, in a move which gives this a real rawness and an edge which you would not get with fancy studio knob twiddling. It captures the heart and soul of the Foos, and is indicative of their raw energy in the live environment, finally being transferred over onto record.

Across Wasting Light, there are some brilliant highlights, with opener Bridge Burning being an exciting pre-cursor for what is to come. Lead single Rope follows, which is a great track, and shows a different side to the Foo’s, still keeping in touch with their anthemic and hard rocking selves, but by including some jangly guitars which almost shows Indie-rock influences. The surprise for me though is that this departure works really well, and sounds awesome. Dear Rosemary is another highlight coming early on, before White Limo is a full out riotous scream fest, taking Foos to a side of their persona that has never been explored to its fullest previously. It is heavy, and it is ravenous in its approach.

The middle of the album seems to drop off a little in intensity, but the songs are still really strong, and a massively enjoyable listen. Back and Forth is very catchy, and Miss The Misery is a good track as well, before the album finishes as strongly as it starts with the awesome Walk.

The Foos have clearly experimented across Wasting Light to great effect, and they seem revitalised, clearly benefiting from the raw recording process, enlisting old friend Butch Vig (of Nirvana “Nevermind” fame) to get them back to their scintillating best.

I have only listened to it once, but I fully expect that it will get better on further listens, and by the time their enormo gigs come round later this year at the Milton Keynes Bowl, the crowd will have the best time of their lives singing along to hits from yesteryear, and the phenomenal cuts from this latest outing.

A welcome return.

8.5/10