Wasting Light

 

 

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"Wasting Light" by the Foo Fighters is an extremely well put together rock album. I do admit that I enjoy all the songs on this album, but I chose to listen to listen to this cd multiple times before reviewing this in order to gain a deeper understanding of the songs. I only say this because all eleven of the songs on "Wasting Light" are metaphorical masterpieces that are meant to be understood more from a creative level, rather than interpreting these songs literally. The following are my personal interpretations of a few of these good musical tracks (that stood out for me) in order to assist others reading this with making the decision to purchase "Wasting Light" by the "Foo Fighters":

"Rosemary": This touching musical number appears to be about someone that was very much loved, and still a spiritual and emotional part of the singer. However, this song seems to be about wishing to release this person that they very much cared about in order to make a "clean break" due to strong continual feelings.

"A Matter of Time": This song appears to be about the inevitable changes that are about to take place in a person's life, and their choice to come to terms with accepting and making peace with these shifts.

My two overall favorite songs on "Wasting Light" by the Foo Fighters are "Arlandria" and "Walk". "Walk" is currently my overall favorite musical gem that appears to be about turning over a more joyful transition to an even happier and more improved life, and looking forward to embracing whatever may come, and creating new experiences. "Arlandria" is a great song about a person's journey in coming to terms with their newfound and increasing experiences of popularity and spiritual evolution that are simultaneously taking place.

The best litmus test to determine if you are going to enjoy this cd is if you have listened to and have enjoyed "Learn to Fly" and "Everlong" (because "Wasting Light" is created in the similiar creative spirit as these songs). In addition, "Wasting Light" is very much a worthwhile purchase if you enjoy modern rock/alternative rock

It has been a long time coming but this album is a return to the originity of the Foo Fighters and is a homage to what they do best, ROCK! May the next and the next ablum be just as good.

The much anticipated new Foo Fighters album is a big deal to us fans -- for the first time, a five-man lineup, three guitar players, and the return of Pat Smear. In other words this album has the same lineup as the glorious Colour and the Shape era of the band, plus Chris Shifflet. Plus expert production by Butch Vig, mixed by Alan Moulder. It sounds glorious! What it lacks in the diversity from the previous two albums, it makes up with the sheer youthful energy from the first two.

Wasting Light hits you right away with the one-two punch of "Bridge Burning" and "Rope", fast jagged hard rock songs with riffs and Grohl screams. Not totally immediate, but they set the stage for some of the best tunage the Foos have ever laid to wax. I think the dark and powerful "Dear Rosemary" is the first bonafide classic on this album, and you can definitely hear the benefit of the three guitars as rhythm & catchy licks merge into one moving whole.

"White Limo" starts with a brutally heavy metal riff, something that harkens back to VoiVod, with Grohl doing his best distorted metal screams overtop. This is primo thrash metal, a total surprise for me. I always knew Grohl was a metalhead, but I didn't expect anything this overtly metal to appear on a Foo Fighters album. But it's a welcome change, and my current favourite song for pure adrenaline pumping energy.

"Arlandria" starts slower, but builds to a melodic, dramatic chorus with crashing chords and cymbals. By this time the album has begun to take shape: It has melody but the foundation is the guitar riffage. "These Days" is a total change of pace, a much softer song, but still propelled forward by the beats of Taylor Hawkins, and of course the guitars still crash come chorus time.

"Back and Forth" has a pretty crummy snare drum sound, but Nate Mendel's bass rings clear and true underneath. It takes a while to get going, but the chorus is still solid. "A Matter of Time" is the weakest song so far, an awkward, jagged non-standout rocker.

"Miss the Misery" is a return to form, starting with a brief "Nobody's Fault But Mine" drone before settling into an irresistable set of melodies, puntuated by catchy guitar licks buzzing in and out of the mix. Again, you can hear where three guitar players is coming in handy, as there is a lot going on here guitar-wise. Fee Waybill on guest vocals! Next, Nirvana fans will be excited by an appearance by Krist Novoselic on "I Should Have Known". Including Pat Smear, this is a reunion of the three surviving members of the final Nirvana lineup, a little mini-historic event in the annals of rock. It is a slow mournful song, with Grohl's voice back in the mix, singing "I cannot forgive you yet". It is a beautiful song, and a welcome change of pace. Novoselic's bass, when it kicks in about halfway, just rumbles. It ends as dramatically as anything else on the album.

The standard edition of the album closes with a song called "Walk". This is a brighter song, guitars chiming and ringing, and exactly the way an album like this needs to end. But suddenly the pace picks up, and the guitars cascade like the greatest Foo songs of old. This one reminds me, for a number of reasons including riffs, melody and pacing, of "New Way Home", the awesome closer from Colour and the Shape.

The Foos have created another fine album, not an easy thing to do when you have albums like Colour and the Shape and In Your Honor under your collective belts. They certainly have lost nothing to age, and they have not exhausted their energies. I also think that, after two very diverse albums, it was exactly the right move to return to a predominantly rock direction for this album. It re-grounds the bands back to their roots.

It's not over yet though, as some editions of the album have two bonus tracks. The first is an absolutely useless remix of "Rope" by Deadmau5. I guess people who like this kind of music will appreciate it, but it has no place on an album like this. It is monotonous and boring, a waste of five minutes of your time. Much more appropriate is another song called "Better Off". "Better Off" is almost Beatles-y in melody, but with heavy layered guitars pummelling your ears. I love the lyrics as well -- "You know you're better off, you b@stard."

Wasting Light has been a great and pleasant surprise to me. I wasn't sure what direction the Foo Fighters were going to take with this new record, but I'm pleased that they took a step back to guitar-based basics, yet still retained all the lessons they learned about melody, songwriting and arranging.

BEST OF ALL! Just to do something special and unique, and to make a point about recording this album straight to analog tape (no computers!), Dave Grohl has sliced up his original master tape for Wasting Light, and included a piece in every CD. Cool, man.

5 stars!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Arretez de lire et achetez-le!!
Un des meilleurs album de l'année, sinon le meilleur. Du pur rock, vous l'écouterez à la maison, dans l'auto... Read more

Published 7 months ago by Sébastien Perron

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome record!
I never realized this was a 45 rpm cut of the record...it made my day! really cool for those into the Foo and really good quality...IT'S VINYL!

Published 13 months ago by robinsm6

5.0 out of 5 stars The Foos Are Back (Even If They've Never Really Been Away)!
Am I a huge fan of the Foo Fighters? I wouldn't say so even if I find the band to be really enjoyable and liked some of their albums such as The Color and the Shape and In Your... Read more

Published 13 months ago by Tommy Morais

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