Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters: Wasting LightWasting Light (2011)
RCA

Reviewer Rating: 1

User Rating:

Contributed by: JeloneJelone
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on April 22nd 2011In theory, Foo Fighters' new album Wasting Light should be thoroughly awesome. It follows the group's disappointing Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, so it's got that "comeback album" angle. Wasting Light also guns for "back to basics" status-hard. Frontman Dave Grohl reconvened with Butch Vig, who.

In theory, Foo Fighters' new album Wasting Light should be thoroughly awesome. It follows the group's disappointing Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, so it's got that "comeback album" angle. Wasting Light also guns for "back to basics" status-hard. Frontman Dave Grohl reconvened with Butch Vig, who, in case you forgot, helmed Nevermind by Grohl's other big band, Nirvana, and recorded the album in analog instead of digital. Oh, and they recorded the whole thing in Grohl's garage. Founding Foo member Pat Smear is back. Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic shows up on accordion and bass for a track. Hüsker Dü's Bob Mould pops up too, because why not. On top of that, initial pressings of Wasting Light come with a piece of the record's original master tape.

All of these factors should contribute to a really cool record. Instead they just magnify how utterly unremarkable these songs sound. Wasting Light's title fits, but not the way the band meant. On the surface, the record boasts 11 riffy tracks that recall In Your Honor's heaviness while occasionally slipping in actual hooks. It seems like with every promotional cycle, Foo Fighters promise that their next album will be their heaviest yet, but tracks like "White Limo" and "Bridge Burning" actually live up to that hype.

But dig a little deeper, and Wasting Light falls apart. Guitar dexterity aside, there's just not a lot going on. Grohl recycles clichés like "These are my famous last words" and "I'm praying for a sign," but not even his mighty yell can give them gravity. The biggest clunker in a lyrical sense is "Arlandria", in which Grohl talks about growing up in Virginia. He keeps returning to the line "Fame, fame go away / Come again some other day," occasionally rotating in "shame" instead, and the whole thing comes off as lazy and embarrassing. This guy wrote "Everlong" and "Best of You". He and I both know he can do better.

The record offers glimmers of goodness, though. Mould's tune with the band, "Dear Rosemary" strikes a nice balance between the Foos' radio rock sensibility and Hüsker Dü's own Candy Apple Grey. "White Limo" rocks hard, and the video is funny. The production is still pretty glossy, but compared to where the group was at on their last single, "Wheels" from Greatest Hits, this is pretty stripped down stuff. Still, I wonder what Steve Albini would have done with these songs. Wasting Light had tons of potential, but it's not the comeback the Foos needed.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

-Smash- (December 8, 2011)

As you (Reviewer) see, all the users don't agree with you! Honestly, you are the first person who speaks like this for Wasting Light!
Of course it is your opinion!
This an awesome album and surely they make great lives!

bobbie (December 8, 2011)

Amazing record!

MN_DrNick (November 23, 2011)

Wow. What a fucking horrible review. This is their best album since The Colour and the Shape.

abcdefuck (September 3, 2011)

Great record.

powderdaze (May 9, 2011)

i'm calling shennanigans on this review. i think this record is balls to the wall.

jeffrocentric (April 25, 2011)

this review missed the mark by a fucking mile. back to the drawing board chief.

www.shinyglasshouses.wordpress.com

Mookles (April 25, 2011)

Best since Colour and the Shape.

This review sucks.

First song is a banger.

bouncingcoles (April 25, 2011)

i havent really listened to this album other than two songs. and although this band is horribly overrated im sure the record deserves more than one star. but for real this band has never done anything different then generic alternetive rock, which is fine but for a band to be as big as they are i would expect some more originality.

xfreekx (April 25, 2011)

I really like the album, thought it took me a while.

One thing that really helps with analog recordings like this is to play it really loud. This album sounds way better cranked in my car then it did on my computer speakers.

I like every Foo Fighters album, but Echoes, Silence.... was easily their worst album. This new one isn't perfect but it's a step in the right direction.

facetofacereunion08 (April 24, 2011)

"Bridge Burning" is such a kickass album opener...I hope they open their live shows with that song

d_boons_ghost (April 24, 2011)

I think this is pretty good, at least a 3 or 3 1/2. Two or three great songs (including Dear Rosemary), a bunch of good songs and no embarrassments. I would put this one in the win column.

flowerfeeder (April 24, 2011)

This review is WAAAAAAY off. Record is great. Arlandria is an excellent fucking song. One star?! Dude.

Someone deleted this review from the intranets.

kouta55 (April 24, 2011)

Are you serious? This album deserves more than that

screamager (April 23, 2011)

One star ain't. Probably two and half. İt's an ok record with 90's perspective.

brennalds (April 23, 2011)

I would say that this is their best since There is Nothing Left to Lose. I actually really liked the last record too, though I didn't care for One by One or In Your Honor. "Back and Forth" is probably my favorite. Overall a great record!

keepmedown (April 23, 2011)

u all krazi tis a good labum

renvolpi (April 23, 2011)

This reviewer is obviously a crazy and insane person. This album is amazing, their best after the colour and the shape. "Bridge Burning" "A walk" Dear Rosemary" ... great songs.. White Limo and Rope are great as well... hey man, do you know what music is? how did you get this gig? 1 star? You should quit writing reviews forever, or listening to music. whatever comes first.

BluthCo (April 23, 2011)

I love this album as much as their first three. It's the first Foo Fighters album since There is Nothing Left To Lose on which I thought every song was really good. I liked the albums in between too, to varying degrees.

skeetopunk01 (April 23, 2011)

It grows on you... Loving this record!

juniorberry (April 22, 2011)

Disagree 100%. This album grew on me quickly and now I can't stop listening to it. I haven't liked a Foo Fighters album since "Color and the Shape". 5 stars.

i-type-poorly (April 22, 2011)

This album kills. The shitty post-TINLTL ballady parts only come through in brief moments. I think every song is at least pretty good, and the first two are their best in ages.

thepopeofchili-town (April 22, 2011)

"Walk" is amazing. The rest... meh. One star is a little harsh. I'll go with two.

troymess (April 22, 2011)

I love this record. I can understand where the reviewer is coming from if he/she doesn't actually like the songs. However, on my side of the fence, I love these songs, and think this record is outstanding.

Also think it's really cool that this band has been playing people's garages. Commendable considering they've sold out Wembley and have 7 solid albums out.

Eh, but who cares about these comments anyways?

Nap (April 22, 2011)

J-O-K-E review

eatdogs (April 22, 2011)

i stopped after the first two albums. they quickly became the band associated with the people i hated back in highschool...

facetofacereunion08 (April 22, 2011)

Is this a joke? This album is awesome, cant stop listening to it and i'm not even a huge foo fan. Horrible review...i can understand not loving it, but 1 star?

joeg (April 22, 2011)

agree with the review. i'd give it 5 stars though. this is foo fighters (dave grohl) on autopilot which is to say that's how they've been the last decade although it is a step up from their last 2 records which were horrendous. i fell asleep halfway through echoes, silence, grace, calamity, honor and patience or however that album title is worded.

jplunk (April 22, 2011)

I actually think this is pretty good. And I think White Limo is the worst song on there. Bridge Burning and Walk are the best.

kylewagoner (April 22, 2011)

You also have to realize that Butch Vig destroys songs...unless you're aiming for them to sound like White Crosses, in which case it actually works excellently.

misterspike (April 22, 2011)

Spot-on review.

dev (April 22, 2011)

Yeah, the one star rating is a bit low but it is a spot-on review.

shawnlw (April 22, 2011)

One star might be a bit harsh, but everything you said is 100% right on. Wasting light has the sound of a great record, just not the songs.

Anarchypants (April 22, 2011)

The first album was the best and they've never come close to that since.

StraightToHell82 (April 22, 2011)

Oh my god, you're fucking ridiculous.
While there might only be about 2 "great" songs, the other 9 are still decent to plain ol' good.

"Walk" is one of the best songs they've ever written, in my opinion.

drunkwithpower (April 22, 2011)

I haven't heard this, but the notion that you can "go home again" by recording in a garage or with your old producer or on analog tape is ludicrous.

bryne (April 22, 2011)

It's all right. Like every FF release post-There Is Nothing Left To Lose, there are a handful of really great songs surrounded by a ton of filler.

I think the production sucks. This album is the latest and greatest example of the Loudness War ruining (or coming close to ruining) music.