Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace Review
by Zane Ewton
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Dave Grohl has a habit of proudly proclaiming each new Foo Fighters record as their best one yet. You cannot argue with the band's success though. They have become the rock band to call when you need an awards show performance, a guest drummer on your album and maybe even an oil change for your truck.
The last few records just have not been as great as Grohl claims them to be. One By One, apart from a tandem of songs, had a fair amount of filler. In Your Honor had its moments, but could be whittled to 10 or 11 songs. Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace is a step in the right direction.The Foos long ago abandoned humor for a more grown up, morose view of life. Echoes is overflowing with that grown up attitude. A maturing group of Fighters is certainly not bad. If anything, it has added focus and consistency to their music. On record, they just are not that much fun anymore.
Producer Gil Norton rejoins the Foo Fighters for the first time since The Colour and the Shape. Norton's presence did not appear to alter what the band is doing, but probably just helped Grohl bounce his ideas off someone with a fresh set of ears. As with In Your Honor, the mellower, acoustic tracks stand out from the rest. Thankfully, the band has added some dramatics to separate their paint-by-numbers rock songs.
Leadoff single, "The Pretender," is a welcome departure from typical Foo Fighter rock tracks, with a few left curves here and there. The Foo Fighter sound has modified over the years into a darker, dirgy type of music. Where early hits were bright, metallic guitar anthems, the proceedings are no longer as neatly defined anymore.
The Foo Fighters are in need of some drastic changes to become a fresh sounding band again. In the meantime, they can tour the world and make everyone's eardrums bleed with the best brand of mainstream rock rolling right now.
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Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
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