Review Summary: The sound of a band secure in their place in musical history.
Dave Grohl is the closest thing the modern rock world has to an elder statesman. When he joined Nirvana in 1990 he was just another drummer, in a band that had gone through too many of them to count. Then, of course, Nirvana became NIRVANA, the touchstone band of Generation X, and Grohl was reserved a page in the rock history book along with his bandmates, regardless of anything that could happen next. The thing is, after the death of Kurt Cobain, many expected him to become just that…
history. Without Cobain’s guiding influence, virtually everyone expected Grohl and bassist Krist Novoselic to fade back into obscurity, living out the rest of their lives remembering the brief moment they were on top of the world, relishing their own personal nirvanas… and in the case of Novoselic, they would be right. Yet implausibly, over the last two decades, Dave Grohl cemented his status as not just a footnote in rock history, but perhaps its most notable modern gatekeeper. He has done this with a combination of perseverance, charm, and most importantly - those songs. The ones that are
still, some almost two decades on, as inescapable on rock radio as… well… Nirvana. Against all odds, Grohl proved himself by writing from the same school of no-nonsense rock that made his previous act iconic. Foo Fighters’ songs may not be as aggressive or quirky as Nirvana’s, but at their best, they have the same spark, and that spark has sustained Grohl through a two-decade career that is still going strong.
I will preface my thoughts on
Sonic Highways, the latest Foo Fighters album, by admitting that I do not have an HBO subscription, and as such have not yet begun the journey of
Sonic Highways, the companion series. I believe this provides me a better opportunity to judge the music on its own merits, and see if it truly holds up on its own. The short answer is that - for the most part - it does, although it could stand to do more to showcase the diversity suggested by the title. For those that aren’t aware, for this album the Foos completed the ultimate cross-country bro trip, recording each track at a different studio, and interviewing local music icons along the way, making the album one part of a larger multimedia experience. The album itself kicks off with a slow burner of an opening track, “Something From Nothing”. With imagery of fire and striking matches prevalent throughout, it is clear that this is intentional. Inspired by the history of Chicago without ever sounding too beholden to its concept, the song slowly adds elements on top of each other as it builds to an intense climax. While there is still a strong grunge influence, the track - and the album as a whole - is far more indebted to classic rock in its composition. The multi-part structure of the song masks the surprising fact that it is the rare Foo Fighters single without a clear hook. Other than its catchy riff, there is no real centerpiece to the song… and yet it still works.
The same cannot be said for every song on the album, at least not to the same extent. Often, Grohl’s lyrics (which were written after a week of exploring the latest city and interviewing local musicians) lag behind the quality of the compositions, as he shoehorns in references to “Southern ground” and the Bluebird Cafe on the song recorded in Nashville, canyons on the track recorded in Los Angeles, and SoHo and subways on the track recorded in New York. While this may indeed add depth for viewers of the series, when viewed as part of a standalone record, these throwaway lines add little or nothing of value, and feel more forced than inspired. Perhaps this is the product of writing at the last minute rather than crafting each line with care, or maybe Grohl simply isn’t a good enough lyricist to pull the concept off. In addition, while the Foos largely succeed in their attempts at multi-part song structures, there is little in the actual music to distinguish the songs from any other Foo Fighters record. Each song has a guest artist that is supposed to add a touch of local flavor, and yet, with the exception of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on the New Orleans track (“In the Clear”) and Ben Gibbard’s atmospheric guitar and backing vocals on the Seattle track (album highlight “Subterranean”), the guest spots add almost nothing to the overall sound, and will likely go by unnoticed by the majority of listeners.
And yet, despite the drawbacks inherent in such a confining concept,
Sonic Highways succeeds on the back of of the same strengths the Foos have always had - their solid songwriting and infections energy. There is no denying the memorable earworm that is “The Feast and the Famine”, the rousing climax to album closer “I Am a River”, or the beautiful results when the band slows it down on “Subterranean”. Despite some forgettable moments and gimmicky lyrics, the Foos’ grand road trip experiment has yielded another solid record. While it may not be the amazing career resurgence that was
Wasting Light, this is the sound of a band that knows their place in musical history is secure - and that’s not a bad thing.
