With their newest album, Concrete and Gold, releasing on September 15th, PCB would like to take you through the Foo Fighters’ entire recorded history. We are going to go through the catalogue, album by album, giving you some Foo Fighters history, a take on the albums and a few other tracks from that era that are worth checking out. Follow along and please add your comments below. Today’s offering is their seventh album: Wasting Light.
After a four year waiting period, Dave Grohl and the gang partner up with producer Butch Vig and re-team with guitarist Pat Smear. The wait was worth it because in 2011 the Foo Fighters released their best album, Wasting Light.
I’m not a fan of the term “getting back to their roots,” but that’s exactly what the Foo Fighters did after back to back mediocre albums. This album has everything a rock fan wants and more.
Album by Album : Foo Fighters
The Colour and the Shape is my favorite album, but Wasting Light is hands down the Foo Fighters’ best album. Listen to this album, even if they aren’t a huge Foo Fighters fan because it’s just a fantastic rock album.
When people tell me that Queens of the Stone Age are the only rock stars left, I point at this album (after moving Josh Homme’s gargantuan head out of the way). Wasting Light makes every QotSA album look like the second half of In Your Honor.
There is not a dud on this album! When I make a “best of” playlist in my iTunes (called “Foos”), I add every track! It’s the only Foo Fighters album where I don’t skip any songs.
“Bridge Burning’ kicks off the album with a hypnotic guitar sound that kicks into high gear and skyrockets into a catchy chorus. This continues with the single “Rope” then things slow down with “Dear Rosemary,” a softer rock song.
We get thrown right back into the mosh pit with the face melting “White Limo.” My throat hurts just hearing Grohl scream out the lyrics on this metal song. This is by far the heaviest Foo Fighters’ song.
“Arlandria” is my personal favorite from the album. I love the melody and the way it goes from everyone playing to a single guitar riff with Grohl’s vocals, then back to the band rocking out.
Everyone is on their “A” game for Wasting Light and Vig’s production sounds amazing. You can hear every instrument on each song and it has just enough “fuzz” on it to make it feel dirty and punk.
Grohl has said that “These Days” is his favorite song he’s ever written and I’ve got to say it’s pretty damn great!
Sharing the name of their amazing 2011 documentary, “Back & Forth” is a really fun pop song with some great hooks. “A Matter of Time,” “Miss the Misery,” “I Should Have Known,” and “Walk” make up the last third of the album, closing it out strong.
I rushed through those last four because I’d sound like a broken record with all the “greats” and “amazings.” The only broken record you should have is Wasting Light from playing it ad nauseam (and the second half of In Your Honor for causing nausea). There are too many good things to say about this album, so just get it and listen to the whole thing!
Most of 2011 I was listening to this album and Endgame by Rise Against. That fall I saw both of them play on the same tour. It was phenomenal! Foo Fighters played about six songs from Wasting Light! Pick up this album. If you like rock, I guarantee you’ll love this!
Wasting Light (2011) is an easy 10 out of 10 stars!
But wait… there’s more!
There is one more track from this era that was left off of the album and was released as a bonus track.
“Better Off” – Released as a bonus track on both the Japanese release and the Best Buy edition, this song should’ve just be the last song on Wasting Light. It’s on par with everything else on the album and it’s a great closing track! If you don’t have this with the other 11 songs, consider your album incomplete.
Kyle Dodson is covering the entire Foo Fighters catalogue in the run-up to the release of their ninth studio album, Concrete and Gold, on Roswell Records/ RCA Records, September 15, 2017. Follow along:
Album by Album: Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
The Colour and the Shape
There Is Nothing Left to Lose
One by One
In Your Honor
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Wasting Light
Sonic Highways
Concrete and Gold
Kyle Dodson is a writer, comedian, Rock Solid Podcast producer, Batman aficionado, facial hair connoisseur, and oxford comma supporter.