Foo Fighters
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace


2.5
average

Review

by Iluvatar USER (168 Reviews)
September 17th, 2007 | 199 replies


Release Date: 2007 | Tracklist

Review Summary: The Foo Fighters release another album. The Foo Fighters release another average album. I probably didn't have to say the second part.

I’ve never really been a fan of the Foo Fighters. They’ve always seemed like a pretty good, pretty run of the mill rock band with some good singles and a good singer to me. I’ve listened to all of their albums at some point, and they all failed to really catch my interest, including the highly lauded The Colour & The Shape. So, once again they put out a great lead single (this time, “The Pretender”) and I am unfortunately required by curiosity to give them yet another shot. What Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace reminds me to do is next time, don’t bother.

The album is just standard rock/alternative affair. A new idea is really not present on here; in fact its like they encapsulated their previous double album to one disc hoping it would get rid of that fat that dogged that previous album. There are a large range of songs to listen to here…if a varied album to you means there are slow, mid, and fast tempo songs. There are rockers like “The Pretender” and “Cheer Up Boys (Your Makeup is Running)” which are easily the strong points to the album, as its obvious the boys are most comfortable here.

It when they try and go into a softer, more ‘introspective’ sound where the album really falters. Its as if they listened to a bunch of really bad 90s alternative-pop songs and decided it would be a good idea to bring all that back (along with a good dose of the ‘foo, of course…!). Grohl doesn’t have a pretty voice by any means, and even the songs where he transitions from crooning to shouting generally sound weak because of it. And it’s a very strange thing when one of your songs (in this case, “Stranger Things Have Happened”) sound more like a Stephen Lynch tune than a serious attempt at rock balladry.

Dave Grohl’s songwriting has just become stale. There is absolutely nothing interesting about this album structually. The closest it comes to being interesting is on “Let it Die” where he fakes an explosion of sound, retreats for a moment, and then goes through again even louder. Every song here relies on the basics of pop songwriting 101, and Grohl and company just don’t have enough catchy oomph to make it work for a whole album, let alone for whole career at this point.

Considering this is pretty much Grohl’s baby, something also of note is the fact that the lyrics underwhelm as well. Yeah, “Cheer Up Boys…” is actually a pretty neat satire on the “emo scene” of today, and its pretty cool to see him to do it. Then again, he comes up with such gems as “Meet me in the summertime/We can move the air/Sweet Virginia countryside/I will meet you there” which infest the album like a plague. Even on the “harder” tracks Grohl cant get himself out of wish washy and cliché nonsense, something he at least used to be able to attempt.

In the end, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace really is just terribly mediocre and unexciting. Besides “The Pretender” and a handful of other songs that will probably be singles (“Summers End” which vaguely reminds of “Learn To Fly” and “Long Road to Ruin”), the album is extremely boring and uninspired. Its pretty much like any other Foo record; a boring album by a band that could be better. Listen to it if you’re a fan of the Foo, but don’t make it a priority if your not.



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user ratings (1905)
3.3
great
other reviews of this album
1 of
  • DaveyBoy EMERITUS (3.5)
    The Foo Fighters predominantly succeed in consolidating their previous Double Album into o...

    tribestros (4)
    Twelve years into their career, this album proves that the Foos can still 'rock hard', be ...

    clairvoyant (4)
    Dave Grohl yet again does not bring anything completely new to the table, but still manage...

    wildabeast99 (4.5)
    We will always love the Foo Fighters for there hard rocking songs, and on this album, they...

  • Gravy (1.5)
    Well, for use of a better, intelligent word... poo...



Comments:Add a Comment 
Thor
September 17th 2007


10357 Comments


The new single isn't half bad. Nothing special, though.

lunchforthesky
September 17th 2007


1039 Comments


Kinda short for such a big release.

Such a predictable band in general.

Fort23
September 17th 2007


3775 Comments


I agree with thor the singles not bad. I doubt ill be checking this out but who know.s

tribestros
September 17th 2007


918 Comments


No offense, but this album is awesome. Secondly, this review seemed kinda half-ass...almost soundoff like.

tribestros
September 17th 2007


918 Comments


Well, I mean, it's planned out well and well written, but it's mucho shorto.

This album is good, at least in my opinion though,

lunchforthesky
September 17th 2007


1039 Comments


I get what your saying Iluvatar I mean we all know how this is going to sound cause its the Foo Fighters and it got a 2.5 so yeah its pretty obvious.

Cesar
September 17th 2007


2732 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I actually agree with Ilu on this one. Review doesn't need to be long to be good. As long as it is good, well-written, and does it job, it doesn't matter if it has 500 words or 1000 words.

lessthanderek123
September 17th 2007


96 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Is this album streaming anywhere yet? I was pretty sure I was going to buy this after hearing The Pretender and being a decently interested fan of the band.

joshuatree
Emeritus
September 17th 2007


3744 Comments


Illuvatar, you're on a fucking roll.

"The Pretender" is the best Foo Fighters single I've heard in a longass time, so i might just buy this album.

Good review.

Ernzoa
September 17th 2007


5 Comments


Forget it.

Willie
Moderator
September 17th 2007


20295 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Foo Fighters aren't bad but they aren't good... and this review was perfect for pointing out that nothing has changed.

Ernzoa
September 17th 2007


5 Comments


forget it.This Message Edited On 09.17.07

tribestros
September 17th 2007


918 Comments


See, I'm not touching this argument with a ten foot pole.

Goodbye.

blackmilk
September 17th 2007


583 Comments


since any unbiased ears


where can i buy a pair of these

Two-Headed Boy
September 17th 2007


4527 Comments


This makes sense.

The Jungler
September 17th 2007


4826 Comments


Single was great, I'm disappointed this doesn't live up, but I definitley understand why it wouldn't.
Great review, don't understand why anyone would think differently.

Two-Headed Boy
September 17th 2007


4527 Comments


I, for one, didn't like the single one bit.

The Jungler
September 17th 2007


4826 Comments


are you kidding?
Best Foo Fighters song I've heard so far, barring maybe All My Life and Big Me.

Two-Headed Boy
September 17th 2007


4527 Comments


I've only listened to it once, I'll admit, but it didn't really hold my attention.

Epilogue
September 17th 2007


1822 Comments


I listened to it, I think its great. Your review was good, and you held up your opinion well, but I'm still getting this.



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