26 years after their debut as a literal garage band, Foo Fighters latest album is a stunning impersonation of their previous works but not much else beyond that.
My first impression of Foo Fighters was ‘Everlong’ in Guitar Hero World Tour. It’s a tune that has always stuck with me and whenever I hear it I get a hit of nostalgia. Their new album does the sounds of the Foo Fighters justice but without much of an emotional response.
Medicine At Midnight, the band’s first LP since 2017, is exactly what we expect from Dave Grohl but when it was announced that this album would be more of a likening to disco and Bowie we should been prepared for something different. The album consists of 9 tracks of varying style with the band trying to sprinkle some nuance into the classical Foo Fighters style.
At the heart of it this album is well-produced and you immediately get the grunge t-shirt-and-jeans style the band has been sporting for the past two-and-a-half decades. But the outfit is getting a bit worn out now and needs a spruce up.
There was an attempt to change it up but much like their past few albums since Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace in 2007, underneath it is the same old nostalgia. This record has some very modern styles, backing choruses of female singers and a strange funk opening to songs like ‘Medicine at Midnight’ – but this doesn’t do anything wild.
Instead it comes across as Dave being made to wear an Armani jacket when all he wants is a pair of Wrangler jeans and a plaid shirt. He seems to be forcing change or at least trying to but never reaches a point where it really speaks out.
‘Chasing Birds’ was highlighted as having a Bowie style with a likening to the classic ‘Let’s Dance’ and while there is an element of glam rock it is a very small one at that. There is an inconsistency throughout this record. Half the tracks are very in typical style of the band but then there are some whiffs of The Black Keys and a nothingness to the lyrics.
Therein lies the issue with Foo Fighters. Each new album tries something new and each time it seems to fall short and just serves to remind the world that they still exist and can still produce an album. The album works because it’s the Foo Fighters which is somewhat a net positive but it’s one of those albums that you put on whilst doing housework or you hear on a shop floor but pay no attention to.
Everyone knows the band put on immense live performances and consistently bring out special guests and play both their own and other icon’s classics. Grohl has the rock voice canonised in history which is why ‘Waiting on War’, ‘Love Dies Young’ and ‘Holding Poison’ scream Foo Fighters and can be imagined at one of their shows. But then why listen to the other slightly misleading attempts on the tracklist? They don’t do anything wildly different.
It seems Grohl and the band have shifted a heavy focus onto live performances and when concerts can resume they will likely be as fresh as ever. Low energy seems to run throughout this record and while there are a few songs with a very traditional Foo Fighters sound, there is a severe lack of attention paid to the choices made.
The issue with writing a fresh sound with only 50% of the effort results in an album that is quintessentially generic grunge and hard rock with the comforting and nostalgic Grohl voice. But with an obvious failed attempt to switch it up with the use of disco tropes and misplaced orchestras.
Medicine at Midnight is a welcome addition but if you wanted something fresh and exciting don’t expect it. This is typically Foo Fighters but with an obvious attempt to try something new and once again just missing the mark.
Words by Jaimie Kay
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