They seem to get progressively worse with each album.
― Colonel Poo, Tuesday, 31 July 2007 16:19 (sixteen years ago) link
I think Kenny's original post just about nailed it by calling them his favorite band in high school. They weren't mine, but they seem like a band perfect for that role - so that everything they put out after you got out of high school, whenever that was, was bad. So I LOVE LOVE LOVE the first album, <i>Colour and the Shape</i> still holds up pretty good, I would cherry-pick from <i>There Is Nothing Left To Lose</i>, then I graduated high school and everything since then I've heard the single and found it tuneless and grating. I don't know if they actually changed their sound or anything, but their hold on me was completely lost.
Search: All of <i>Foo Fighters</i>, especially the singles plus "Alone & Easy Target" and "Wattershed"... off TCATS, the singles again ("Everlong" and "My Hero" for pete's sake!) and "New Way Home"... off TINLTL, "Stacked Actors," "Live-In Skin."
There's a bunch of other good stuff on those albums but that's the indispensible stuff for me. Definitely the best post-grunge mainstream rock band on the US charts, IMO.
― Doctor Casino, Wednesday, 1 August 2007 01:32 (sixteen years ago) link
someday, someday, I will stop doing that
i love the first album and the first album only. it's so different from the others, basically because it's a glorified demo tape.
― latebloomer, Wednesday, 1 August 2007 01:43 (sixteen years ago) link
"THIS IS A CALL" 4EVER + 4TW
― roxymuzak, Saturday, 10 November 2007 22:04 (sixteen years ago) link
Dud.
Now, when I was in high school, a lad of just 15, having freshly sold my Howard Jones cassingles, I remember their self-titled debut album.
I was too much of a newb to know most of the material Foo drew their work from on their first album, but I really enjoyed (and still do) the clever pop tunes on the album. Even saw them on tour at a small local venue that year and got Dave's autograph on my flannel shirt (fuck you, it was a fad!) and ticket.
But even as a kid with bad taste, I never really got into The Colour and the Shape. It seemed to me that on that particular album, they became more generic and overproduced, and since then I haven't been a fan.
Their material is better than some of the other mainstream stuff out there, but give me their s/t anyday over what they're making now.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Monday, 12 November 2007 17:54 (sixteen years ago) link
as a kid with bad taste, I never really got into The Colour and the Shape
Makes sense.
― roxymuzak, Monday, 12 November 2007 20:43 (sixteen years ago) link
Left out two key words in that quote.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Monday, 12 November 2007 22:04 (sixteen years ago) link
"indie fuck"
― roxymuzak, Monday, 12 November 2007 22:07 (sixteen years ago) link
rofl. If you're going to pigeonhole someone you might want to be in the vicinity. I'm as much an indie fuck as Ally McBeal was a pornographic television show.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Monday, 12 November 2007 22:11 (sixteen years ago) link
"as a kid", bro! chillax.
― roxymuzak, Monday, 12 November 2007 22:35 (sixteen years ago) link
I wasn't aware that my neurons were firing any faster :)
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Monday, 12 November 2007 22:39 (sixteen years ago) link
Hesitantly classic. One great album (Colour), one good album (debut), a string of pretty decent mainstream rock singles (with a few duds tossed in), and a good live show means they can't be a complete dud in my book.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Monday, 12 November 2007 22:41 (sixteen years ago) link
Otm, though I'd go one farther and dub everything after Colour/Shape a stinkpatch.
― roxymuzak, Monday, 12 November 2007 22:58 (sixteen years ago) link
I'd say disc 1 of In Your Honor comes fairly close to being as good as the first two albums. Disc 2 really sinks the album's overall batting average, though.
― Alex in Baltimore, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 04:13 (sixteen years ago) link
Dud to the fucking max. I have a lot of hate for the Foo Fighters if only for their being a shining example of radio rock.
― Bus Driver Stu, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 05:06 (sixteen years ago) link
o noez!
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 05:10 (sixteen years ago) link
I hope it's not too late for Pat Smear's pixie dust to help now that he's back.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 06:10 (sixteen years ago) link
I am a one way motorway I'm the one that drives away Then follows you back home I am a street light shining I'm a wild light blinding bright Burning off alone
It's times like these you learn to live again It's times like these you give and give again It's times like these you learn to love again It's times like these time and time again
I am a new day rising I'm a brand new sky To hang the stars upon tonight I am a little divided Do I stay or run away And leave it all behind?
This was written by a former member of Nirvana.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 06:13 (sixteen years ago) link
Not sure what point you're trying to make there, but okay.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 16:22 (sixteen years ago) link
so, Nirvana sucked. Foo Fighters sucked too. what's yr point?
― stephen, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 16:23 (sixteen years ago) link
yeah plenty of Nirvana songs have lyrics as lame as that. and none of them have cool 7/8 riffs like that song has.
― Alex in Baltimore, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 16:26 (sixteen years ago) link
it is my belief that There Is Nothing Left To Lose is a very fine power-pop record (cf 'Generator', 'Learning To Fly', 'Aurora')
― stevie, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 17:23 (sixteen years ago) link
Too inconsistent to be classic, too many good songs to be dud.
― rogermexico., Tuesday, 13 November 2007 17:51 (sixteen years ago) link
like the first album but not enough to listen to it, extremely puzzled by their continued existence and (apparent) vitality
― Billy Pilgrim, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 17:57 (sixteen years ago) link
Thematically they shifted from "alternative" jibberish to "DAMN, woman, why can't you stop me from cheating on you" hard rock just as rock stations did, without getting so blatantly macho as to turn off the old fans who can still listen to rock stations.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:07 (sixteen years ago) link
plus Grohl can still write a hook
whether or not you like nirvana, its pretty funny what a Hagar Grohl has become when you look back at his roots.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:08 (sixteen years ago) link
I've only heard the one Scream track on the Dischord comp from a pre-Grohl record, so I don't really know what they sounded like. but he always struck me as a metal/classic rock kid who fell into punk/alternative rock, and the later Foos/Probot/QOTSA stuff he's done in the past few years probably reflects those roots as much as you could say for anyone whose career started as underground and ended up as mersh as his.
― Alex in Baltimore, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:23 (sixteen years ago) link
always? like when you were 12?
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:26 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm sure he wasn't the only 15 year old punk drummer who dug Bonham but he might be the only one singing "It's a shame we have to die, my dear" in an arena today.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:31 (sixteen years ago) link
So really you just hate him for being successful.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:34 (sixteen years ago) link
-- jon /via/ chi 2.0, Tuesday, November 13, 2007 11:22 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Link
^^^^^^^^^^ (haha xpost)
― Alex in Baltimore, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:34 (sixteen years ago) link
I don't hate him now (too many Hagars out there who CAN'T write good hooks), and I didn't find him ridiculous until well after he was a millionaire.
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:36 (sixteen years ago) link
if we're gonna harp on anything being a betrayal of his XHARDXCOREX roots it should probably be the goofy videos where he wears wigs and plays 'characters', not the self-serious dirges.
― Alex in Baltimore, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:37 (sixteen years ago) link
oh i won't harp on admirable ironies (Though "Everlong" is a way better video than "Learn To Fly").
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 18:40 (sixteen years ago) link
Way upthread: Nirvana were terrible lyrically!
― roxymuzak, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 19:20 (sixteen years ago) link
not in a "the more you live the more you give" way
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 19:36 (sixteen years ago) link
Hagar would NEVER right "aqua seafoam shame"
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 19:37 (sixteen years ago) link
write, ha
Rock star in "recovery lyrics" shocker. Just be glad we didn't have to hear Kurt's.
― roxymuzak, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 19:37 (sixteen years ago) link
this is true
― da croupier, Tuesday, 13 November 2007 19:38 (sixteen years ago) link
i'm digging Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace so far. He does his thing.
― tremendoid, Sunday, 9 March 2008 12:22 (sixteen years ago) link
COlour and teh shape was pretty great. i say classic.
― tremendoid, Sunday, 9 March 2008 12:24 (sixteen years ago) link
yeah this is good. Summer's End in particular, with tight blades of guitars dancing around a pretty boogified southern bedrock.
― tremendoid, Sunday, 9 March 2008 12:41 (sixteen years ago) link
this still has me rolling though
Oh fuck you all, the world would've been a better place if it were dave grohl that courtney had shot. the foo fighters are the osound of stinking sneaker rock from the 70s with a bad moustache to boot. Now go on, be quiet and fuck off.
― tremendoid, Sunday, 9 March 2008 12:45 (sixteen years ago) link
DUD: http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2000/02/foo.html
― elan, Thursday, 24 April 2008 20:29 (sixteen years ago) link
DOM: http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/2441073
― Alex in Baltimore, Thursday, 24 April 2008 20:34 (sixteen years ago) link
o i c
― elan, Thursday, 24 April 2008 20:45 (sixteen years ago) link
i didn't realise that music reviews required every sentence to include painfully unfunny one-liners
― Charlie Howard, Friday, 25 April 2008 13:29 (sixteen years ago) link
“show me how” is excellent, best song i’ve heard from them since wasting light
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 25 May 2023 16:33 (eleven months ago) link
They should have held auditions for the content though. The Dream Theater drummer audition videos are great in a Spinal Tap/Some Kind of Monster way, doesn't matter if you hate the band, which everyone does (and should).
― Random Restaurateur (Jordan), Thursday, 25 May 2023 16:33 (eleven months ago) link
Yeah, Dream Theatre are fucking nonsense but I loved watching them struggle through (or not) the mad bit of math rock they had concocted to test each drummer out.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 25 May 2023 16:36 (eleven months ago) link
I thought the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts were kind of fun live drummer auditions, and I think they made the right choice but like...what if Omar Hakim joined the Foo Fighters?
Also Taylor's son Shane is absolutely capable but am glad they're not shoving a teenager in mourning into the most famous rock band on the planet
I wonder if Dave ever considered taking over on drums and finding new singers?
― Florin Cuchares, Friday, 26 May 2023 07:52 (eleven months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9Zgplw4AcQ
this video will prob get deleted eventually, but it's another new song from that stream where josh freese was announced as their drummer, chorus is the closest i've heard grohl come to the foos s/t sound in some time
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 26 May 2023 18:50 (eleven months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MF6trC529M
“foo fighters stretching out” is usually a recipe for boredom but this 10 minute song is actually really good?
best foos record in ten years imminent
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Tuesday, 30 May 2023 18:21 (eleven months ago) link
yeah, the new LP is excellent. my favourite from them since there is nothing left to lose. grohl's long been great at the craft of the rock anthem but these ones are actually about something meaningful.
― serving aunt (stevie), Tuesday, 30 May 2023 19:47 (eleven months ago) link
Teachers single and video are very cool. Have not been this excited about foo music in a long time.
― Psychocandy Apple Grey (Pyschocandles), Thursday, 1 June 2023 02:04 (eleven months ago) link
hoo yeah this album rules. one of my favorites of the year
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 1 June 2023 19:08 (eleven months ago) link
guitar tones are perfect throughout, almost thought this was produced by vig (it’s self-produced with assistance from greg kurstin, somehow it sounds bigger and deeper and more like siamese dream than their actual recorded-to-tape vig album)
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 1 June 2023 19:10 (eleven months ago) link
"beyond me" is like if a power ballad by heart were also a shoegaze song
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 1 June 2023 19:46 (eleven months ago) link
and the title track reminds me of mastodon
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 1 June 2023 20:15 (eleven months ago) link
fuck i think i love this album i might cry
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 3 June 2023 03:17 (eleven months ago) link
it’s the best
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Saturday, 3 June 2023 03:45 (eleven months ago) link
IT IS!also i did in fact cry … damn, “rest” really got to me
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 3 June 2023 03:49 (eleven months ago) link
i love the insane build from verse to chorus in Nothing At All — totally sounds like “Breed” for a momenti also selfishly like having Dave on drums for this album for comfort/nostalgic reasons. but sad that he had to Under You is the one that really gets me, love the hook for that so much
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 3 June 2023 07:09 (eleven months ago) link
Under You is about both and all and blah blah blah, but ... i mean ... it's about Kurt, right? if we're honest, it's about Kurt.
― alpine static, Monday, 5 June 2023 19:03 (eleven months ago) link
Genius annotations and every article about the song says it's about Hawkins and maybe it is.
But to me, it's about Kurt.
― alpine static, Monday, 5 June 2023 20:44 (eleven months ago) link
the new one is pretty good but they still can't quite make a great album, it merely reaches the quality of their previous best work (the colour and the shape and wasting light) where there's some excellent material but also some that's just fine. a little disappointing because the singles had me hoping they might get there and they almost did. in some places it finally feels like the same band that made "everlong" which has always been weirdly singular in their catalogue. the dreamy guitar tones are lovely too and going full siamese dream on "rest" is a great move.
went back and checked out the singles for the last few albums and wow what the hell had they been doing? some absolutely dreadful stuff
― ufo, Wednesday, 7 June 2023 11:57 (eleven months ago) link
I'd have to agree, though to be fair, being a good singles band for a decade and a half is nothing to sneeze at. Greatest Hits is too thin to fit the bill (especially when it's diluted with a couple of unremarkable re-recordings and a couple of underwhelming new tracks), but a compilation that strings together their 18 or 20 best singles would be highly welcome.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 7 June 2023 18:20 (eleven months ago) link
this album being so good triggered a foo fighters discog run. s/t through wasting light was better than i remembered. post-wasting light, worse. medicine at midnight is godawful
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Wednesday, 7 June 2023 18:45 (eleven months ago) link
there is nothing left to lose is a flawless power pop record btw
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Wednesday, 7 June 2023 18:50 (eleven months ago) link
"godawful" is harsh, pretty sure i'd like medicine more on second listen, it just did nothing i want a foo fighters record to do outside of "love dies young," which is the cruelly the last song
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Wednesday, 7 June 2023 19:01 (eleven months ago) link
idk, I think "godawful" isn't far off for MatM, and I'm usually an apologist for these guys
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 7 June 2023 20:36 (eleven months ago) link
the new one is basically what i'd want there is nothing left to lose to have been, a similar shiny guitar tone but the songs are stronger overall
post-wasting light grohl seemed to become obsessed with recording session gimmicks to keep him interested? & they got out of their comfort zone but completely forgot how to play to their strengths at all
― ufo, Wednesday, 7 June 2023 20:48 (eleven months ago) link
I still think it's their best.
― serving aunt (stevie), Thursday, 8 June 2023 09:31 (eleven months ago) link
A coworker just sent me pics from a recent music fest; he was standing with his bf watching Peaches perform, and noticed Grohl was standing right behind them. His bf got a few selfies w/Grohl... pretty cool!
― Day 1 fan (morrisp), Thursday, 8 June 2023 22:33 (eleven months ago) link
revisiting the new one, god the best parts of this are like the best foos record ever. also really appreciate “the glass”’s resemblance to “in the meantime”
― ivy., Saturday, 25 November 2023 18:14 (five months ago) link