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Review Summary: Another set of catchy rock anthems from the Foo Fighters. Few bands are as well liked as the Foo Fighters. Having been the most consistent rock anthem makers for almost 15 years this is no surprise. ‘Learn to Fly’, ‘Best of You’, ‘All My Life’ and ‘The Pretender’ are just are few from their catalogue that elicit a triumphant response whenever listened to. They are perennial festival headliners and stadium fillers and yet, despite the irrefutable notoriety of their great hits, they are neither regarded as being an album band nor a band that is known for doing anything particular remarkable beyond the creation of decent rock songs. Why should they be? They are renowned and loved for their accessibility and their ability to make songs that you can sing along in your car or at Wembley stadium. This album brings no change to their winning formula. Yet again they have made a set of good catchy rock songs which people round the world will be singing and shouting along to.
So, what songs will we be singing along to then? The only single to be released thus far is the song ‘Rope’. Echoed guitars lead into a hipster feel-good guitar riff and all is well with the world as Grohl’s vocals develop into another fine melody amid a couple of growls which leads into the chorus, a sweet melody that then feeds back into the rocky, stuttery guitars. It is a very good song, with guitars changing styles throughout and a nice breakdown and distorted solo before the last chorus almost placing you in the festival, stadium experience that the album aims to create. ‘Rope’, like many of the songs on the album, also contains emotive lyrics about love, shame, regret and all that.
‘These Days’ is another song set to be a hit. Pretty guitar picking singing at the start goes into one of those anthemic choruses – the song evokes ‘The Pretender’ with its epic chorus betwixt by melodic verses. It contains some lovely lyrics to shout Grohl style too:“Easy for you to say your heart has never been broken/Your body’s never been stolen” - I can imagine so many people roaring this in their cars, listening to Radio 1. ‘Back and Forth’ seems to replicate some of the flows of Nirvana songs like ‘Lithium’, especially with the chorus, but at the same time it is obviously more light-hearted than Nirvana. It is also one of the more humorous songs on the album, stepping back from the emotively involving lyrics of the other songs with some more sexually provocative lyrics to the backing of some punk-sounding guitar strumming and thick bass.
‘I Should Have Known’ is the one that’s a bit different to the others. Thick guitars are withdrawn and vocals softened for a bluesy, melancholic ballad about Grohl’s tumultuous time in Nirvana and his relationship with Kurt Cobain. As is Foo Fighters custom, the song develops into a fine chorus with one of their finest baselines ever played by former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic. Otherwise, each song carries the thick guitars, loud drums, Grohl growls and shouts that characterise the Foo Fighters. ‘Miss the Misery’ evokes AC/DC’s guitar riffs, ‘Arlandia’ contains a fine swelling coda into its final chorus, while ‘Walk’ closes the album as any good band would close a gig, with plenty of power and an evocative, repeated feel-good lyric – ‘I never wanna die’ – perfect. This is a classic Foo Fighters album and therefore a very good rock album. Nothing spectacular, but, as to be expected, there are some pretty catchy songs.
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i tried to get betwixt into my review.. and failed
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
This review is...problematic. It reads as if the album's awesomeness was severely prejudged...which
is very bad, because we're counting on you to give us an objective (or at least, reasonably
unbiased) write-up to help us decide whether we should go for this album or not.
Here are the main sources of pre-emptive opinion that really stand out to me:
i.) The entire first paragraph. That "Foos legacy" bit really sets the tone for the truckload of
unobjectivity on the horizon. E.g: Few bands are as well liked as the Foo Fighters. Having been
the most consistent rock anthem makers for almost 15 years this is no surprise.
Calling them "the most consistent rock anthem makers" is a bit of a bold statement, don't you think?
ii.) So, what songs will we be singing along to then?
What makes you assume we want to sing-along to this so early on in the review? (you haven't even
really delivered your argumentation yet)
iii.) This is a classic Foo Fighters album and therefore a very good rock album.
There are also problems in your reasoning here - don't use "If A therefore B" as justifications in
your review. All I have to do is prove A as false in order to void your review...and many would
agree that their Echoes and One By One albums aren't even close to being classic.
Then there are the sweeping and overtly-generalized statements:
iv.) It is a very good song, with guitars changing styles throughout and a nice breakdown and
distorted solo before the last chorus almost placing you in the festival, stadium experience that
the album aims to create. ‘Rope’, like many of the songs on the album, also contains emotive lyrics
about love, shame, regret and all that.
Rule #1 of serial-listing: "and all that" isn't a subject. What is it anyway? Things like genocide?
Bestiality? Anorexic puppies? Obviously I'm going to extremes here but you see where I'm going with
this, right? Also, don't just say a song is "good" please - that's extremely vague and as useful as
a hole in the head. And what the hell is a "nice breakdown" anyway?
-
I hope that wasn't too harsh, but I feel very strongly about how poorly-written this review is. I
hope my criticism is acceptable and that it helps you become a much better writer. Neg, though.
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I hope that wasn't too harsh
Sputnik's very own Mr. Nice Guy strikes again!
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
As in, I was nice? Or I was a dick making smart-assed comments? LOL.
I think Immona lose that "Sputnik's Nicest User" award to Sea again this year =(
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Hi,
Thanks for the criticism. I am happy to receive any hints that may allow me to become a better writer so that is very much appreciated. Also, that you are analysing the writing rather than the views expressed is pretty cool.
I feel as though the analysis may be a tad harsh but in order to truly improve I will take each point into consideration.
A little note of self-justification, nonetheless. The article was trying to be objective in trying to analyse the album in the context of why the band is popular. This seemingly didn't come across enough. Certainly, a musical prejudice can be seen and this is somemthing I don't usually have in my writing and it is odd that its come in this review as while I like Foo Fighter I wouldn't consider myself a diehard fan!
Anyway, thanks for the advice and I hope you find my other writing less disagreeable.
n.b. the original rating of 4 was always supposed to be 3.5 and this msitake has been adressed.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Hey man.
Yeah reading back my wording was a tad too harsh. I guess I was just trying to be certain my point got across...and I may have overcompensated a little. Do accept my apologies. I really do hope you keep writing - the potential is all here, just needs a bit of polish =)
Cheers and good luck! =)
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As in, I was nice?
Yessss
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Hahaha geee thanks =)
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It's 'your pride has never been stolen', not 'your body...' :P
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