Seven albums into their long career, the Foo Fighters struck gold with “Wasting Light.” On Friday, they hope to do the same with their twelfth studio album, “Your Favorite Toy.”
“Wasting Light” was the band’s attempt to return to the essence of garage rock, recording the entire album on analog equipment in frontman Dave Grohl’s garage. Their attempt at a raw, authentic sound is realized from cover to cover, never dropping the energy below “eleven.”
The intensity begins immediately on “Bridges Burning,” with two driving guitar riffs that establish the frantic energy that carries across the entire album. Grohl’s vocals are fantastic, layered with beautiful but subtle harmonies that make this album so good.
“Rope” was the first single released from the album, for good reason. It’s a classic stadium rock anthem, driven by Taylor Hawkins’ unique but powerful drumming. The song’s highlight comes during the breakdown, where the call-and-response between the drums and lead guitar gives way to a manic guitar solo.
“Dear Rosemary” is a needed break from the chaos of the rest of the album. The strong instrumental sustains the album’s momentum but doesn’t feature a standout moment.
“White Limo” is a return to full speed, feeling like an out-of-control automobile as it flies down the street. The song stands out on the track list, with a distorted, screamed vocal delivery that keeps the intense pace. “White Limo” might be the most underrated track on the album.
While “Arlandria” is a good song, it repeats many of its tricks from “Dear Rosemary.” It’s very dramatic for the sake of drama, but its varied dynamics mean that the dramatic moments aren’t excessive.
“These Days” begins gently, but the full track is anything but. Though it’s built on a simple and soft guitar rhythm during the verses, the driving chorus provides a great contrast.
“Back and Forth” falls into a bouncy rhythm during the chorus, but this isn’t a shortcoming for the song. It’s a fun listen with some strong lyrics and a surprisingly playful energy.
“A Matter of Time” is another underrated song on the album. The entire song is spent building up to the final chorus, where Grohl screams out for one of the heaviest moments on the album.
“Miss The Misery” has one of the most dramatic choruses of any song on the album, accented by some of the most gentle verses.
“I Should Have Known” begins with a string section, combining the gradual build of “A Matter of Time” with the lyrical themes of “Miss The Misery” to create a great penultimate track.
After an album packed with breakup songs, “Walk” is a breath of fresh air about finally moving on and finding yourself again to conclude the album. As with most of the album, the guitars and drums combine to create an incredibly frantic experience, while still feeling like a personal triumph over the loss reflected through the rest of the album.
As a whole, “Wasting Light” is an album with no skips. From cover to cover, every song has something it’s doing to make it a compelling listen. Despite how late into the Foo Fighters’ career that this album was released, it still stands out as their best work and one of the best rock albums of the 2010s.
