Foo Fighters
"Concrete and Gold"
(Roswell / RCA (ASTERISK)(ASTERISK)(ASTERISK))
Can you hate the Foo Fighters? Not really. You might grow frustrated with Dave Grohl's consistent displays of competence and rarer bursts of inspiration, or his ubiquity as the rock guy present at every awards show celebrity jam. But in general, the Foos continue to make decent if not particularly memorable records, and Grohl's good-natured affability as the Nicest Guy in Rock carries the day. The worm began to turn, however, with "Sonic Highways," the 2014 album recorded in eight cities across the U.S. that attempted to pay heartfelt tribute to the band's various influences but ended up sounding painfully anonymous.
"Concrete and Gold" is a bounce back from that misstep. Working with Adele producer Greg Kurstin, it sharpens the Foo sound without being overly glossy. For a guy who is at heart a (great) drummer, Grohl has always had a surprising melodic gift. And befitting an album that features Paul McCartney as a guest _ Macca plays drums on "Sunday Rain" _ "Concrete and Gold" sounds downright Beatles-y at times. (Justin Timberlake and Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman are also among Grohl's celeb-friend contributors.) Along with raging riff rockers like "La Dee Da," the Foo's ninth studio album includes its share of sweet and quiet moments. Though most of those, like the opening "T-Shirt" and delicate-at-first "Dirty Water" eventually rev themselves up into thunderous arena rock, as the band can't resist attempting to be all things to all people.
_Dan DeLuca
