Music Review: Foo Fighters - "Wasting Light" (2011)

The Foo Fighters are a solid band and I enjoy watching their live performances and music videos. However, when it comes to their music albums I am usually drawn in by one or two songs and then disappointed with the rest. I am going to get this statement out at the front then: "Wasting Light" is one of their best! This is the Foo Fighter's seventh album and even though it is still evident that most Foo Fighter songs are all going to sound the same, this one irks the emotions just right and take listeners into the mind and beating like a madman on the drums heart of a real musician.

The best songs on "Wasting Light" are: "I Should Have Known," "Arlandria," and "Dear Rosemary."

What follows below are my song by song notes on the Foo Fighters album "Wasting Light."

"Bridge Burning": This song starts the album with a rocking blast that will make your head roll, yeah! The music keeps up the pace, but the vocals don't exactly, and it doesn't end up sounding totally like classic Foo Fighters, it's not boring, but I'm not yet floored and I am hoping that the Foo Fighters floor me somewhere on this album. The song tells you about the burning bridges coming down and how you're burning them.

"Rope": THIS track sounds like classic Foo Fighters and thus becomes another generic notch on the charts. It is always nice to get a little injection of Foo Fighters though in the crowded pop market and so this was a worthy song as the first single off of the album. Smart song, good song, but a little too safe. I want caution to get thrown screaming into the wind and then have that wind hit me hard in the face, blowing my lips back into a smile.

"Dear Rosemary": Rosemary is apparently a part of him and got away with things and ran away right on cue. I can identify with and translate the sentiments to fit situations of my own life. It is this type of connection that breathes life into a song that could otherwise have been lost in the shuffle of singles and downloads in the Internet world. This is a story and mood song that makes me wish the CD format wasn't without legs and we all still had to buy them and get the booklets to look at and the whole nine. Good stuff.

"White Limo": "White Limo" is a punk rock break from the more melodic vocal style of Dave Grohl. He growls and shrieks his way through this tune and it is welcomed to keep the material as a whole on its toes.

"Arlandria": This is a single worthy pop rock song with enough edge to make it better for the ears of a true rocker as opposed to the American Idol style rock that infiltrates radio. You get the quiet vocals, the pop vocals, and then the yells all rolled into one package and it's a nice present from the Foo Fighters. The chorus makes me want to sing along.

"These Days": Some good lyrics, solid, slower rock song, not one of my new favorites or anything, but it has an edge over album filler for sure.

"Back & Forth": I like the guitar parts on this song, but the track altogether I can do without really, not saying it is a terrible song or anything, I'm pretty upbeat about the content of "Wasting Light" up to this point and this just gets tossed aside because it's not drawing me in as much as other songs already heard.

"A Matter Of Time": Another song that doesn't really stand out for me, I could hear it on the radio easily and I bet it draws in some fans, but I'm not inspired to linger or hit repeat.

"Miss The Misery": This rocks to a better degree than "A Matter Of Time," or "Back & Forth" for me, it's getting me to dip back into the positive review side of the Foo Fighters pool. I like this song, but you're not going to feel like it is anything new from the artist.

"I Should Have Known": Beautiful, sad song, dripping with hints of regret over hurt that should have been foreseen, but wasn't avoided and the anger and frustration that comes along with the wounds. Scars always have a way of bleeding fresh and this song nails that home and if you're not careful you might shed a tear. Awesome song.

"Walk": Pay attention kids, Foo Fighters are showing you how it is done. This is a good song, not going to be one of my favorites, but it is good and takes the album out on a high note. Dave leaves all of his passion out on the track.