Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace

I need to state right from the start that I am a massive Foo Fighters fan, and although I try to be as objective as possible with my reviews, please don’t be surprised if a little bias sneaks through the cracks. I like to lay the cards on the table…

Ever since I was one of the privileged sold out crowd at the Sydney Opera House to witness their acoustic show, I was hooked forever. That was one of the most magical nights of my life. Yet my love for lead singer Dave Grohl stretches way back before that, as like many other Generation Y’ers, I too spent my misspent youth moshing with the best of them to Nirvana in the early nineties. Might explain a few missing brain cells, but I digress.

Echoes is the sixth album for the Foo Fighters, and once again they have teamed with producer Gil Norton, who oversaw their brilliant second album The Colour And The Shape. When it comes to producing great rock’n roll, it’s a dynamite combination.

The best song on the album is also the lead single, The Pretender, which features the same driving rock and catchy melody that this band has become famous for. It is easy to imagine the song being performed live…no doubt it will get the crowd on their feet and rocking out. Power riffs, ballsy rhythm and supreme vocals.

Speaking of live shows, I hope you caught the Live Earth series of concerts from around the world earlier this year, where the Foo Fighters brought the house down with their set in Wembley Stadium in front of something like 80,000 fans. They stole the show, and I think that was the day where they moved into the pantheon of great rock bands...if you missed it, grab it on DVD, you won’t regret it.

Another stand out track from Echoes is The Ballad Of the Beaconsfield Miners, which is obviously a tribute to the Tasmanian mining tragedy of 2006. The song is all instrumental, and has strong layers of heart felt sentiment and mixed emotions. Grohl was evidently very touched by the event which captured the world’s attention for those few days when desperate rescue efforts saved the lives of two miners after a tunnel collapse, although one unfortunately didn’t make it out. They’ve bought in New York guitarist Kaki King to add a unique feel to the track, and the overall production is brilliant. This is arguably the most satisfying song (in an ouright musical appreciation sense anyway) on the album, and a fitting mark of respect to the Beaconsfield Miners.

Summer’s End is another highlight off of Echoes. One of the Foo Fighters trademarked slow-burner songs; it builds with conviction, and flicks the light on at just the right moment. Keep an eye out for this one as it will probably be another of the released singles coming off of the album.

Honourable mentions also go to Erase/Replace, which conveys the power and energy we have come to expect from the band, and Long Road To Run, which encapsulates everything that is smooth and stylish about the Foo Fighters. Lastly, Come Alive is another that will get you moving.

Overall, in my humble opinion, Echoes does not reach the grandiose heights that previous albums The Colour And The Shape or In Your Honor attained. Those were simply breathtaking albums however, there aren’t too many records made by anybody that can compare to those two masterpieces of rock.

The Foo Fighters created their own high standards though, and like it or not, everything they do will in some way be compared to their earlier work. That’s not to be disparaging; this is a band which any fan will feel still has their best work in front of them.

Their evolution is exciting, and that’s why Echoes is an important album as another step in their growth. The band is showing that they aren’t afraid to add some background strings into their repertoire for example, include a little piano here and there, throw around some mixed-up rhythms and even play with harmonies. Yet, they do all of those things and still come up with some pretty fantastic rock’n roll which is still distinctly them. Add to that growth some more straight-forward lyrics and the development is clear…this is a maturing rock band. Now that’s a good sign!

If you love your rock but feel a little disheartened by today’s scene, trust in the Foo Fighters, and pick yourself up a copy of Echoes. You can count on them for everything that is still good about rock’n roll, even in 2007.

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