Becko's Review Of The New Album Foo Fighters Album 'Medicine At Midnight'
OUT NOW
Image: Becko/ Foo Fighters, supplied
2020 was meant to be a momentous year for Foo Fighters: a 25th anniversary for a band.. a short tour across North America celebrating the small cities they visited on their first tour and then a new album release – that all didn’t happen, covid killed all touring and naturally many albums were left on the shelf for a ‘better time.’
It’s no secret the birth of Foo Fighters came from tragedy the loss of Kurt Cobain: Dave Grohl, the drummer of Nirvana composed a bunch of songs before Cobain’s death but had no idea where it would lead. He then booked two days in a Seattle studio, recorded the whole thing by himself and gave the songs away to mates under the name “Foo Fighters”.
Dave knew people would “find it cute” that the drummer from Nirvana would release an album, and stand up in front of a band for the first time, so wanted to keep some anonymity. Eventually the fans would find out, and the Nirvana comparisons would follow.
Finally, 2021 bring us to The Foo Fighters’ 10th album, “Medicine at Midnight”. This is an album that stays true to the philosophy of the Foo Fighters – taking a risk and evolving their sound. Dave says “I just wanted an album people can dance to”.
Dave demo’d a bunch of songs in an old ‘haunted’ house he used to live in. The sound was so good they decided to record the whole thing there, moving recording equipment into bedrooms and rolling drum tracks in bathrooms. Dave said in his chat with me “while we were there the vibe was pretty weird and some weird things happened. So we recorded 9 songs and got the hell out of there”.
Listen to the full interview:
Some key songs:
- Shame Shame: The lead single but also the track that set the course for the album. It has a toe tapping groove, that lead to the “rock songs that you can dance to” vibe
- No Son of Mine: This is vintage / true Foo Fighters! The cranking guitars and screaming vocals take you back to comfort land if you’re a FF connoisseur
- Making A Fire: The first song on the album was also the first track they recorded. Dave says it’s like “what happens if we start the party 25 years late – we were writing all this groove oriented music and coming up with rhythms, and Making A Fire kicked in that feel”
- Cloudspotter: This is a groovy track. Dave took inspiration from LL Cool J’s “Going Back to Cali” – that opening groove riff will get you.
- Love Dies Young: The final track was originally a typical FF track, with some cranking guitars – then Dave switched it to what he describes “ABBA meets Kiss”
The album may initially make you feel uncomfortable, it doesn’t feel like a typical Foo Fighters release. But this is what they want, a summer bbq party album, and as a 10thLP – it feels appropriate. The band can’t wait to get back up on the big stage and belt out “Waiting on a War” to the masses, but in the meantime enjoy the album… listen to it 10 times if you have to! It’s Christmas for us rock fans, release day of a Foo Fighters album.
Becko
Foo Fighters are spending an hour on Triple M at midday playing tracks from the brand new album and some Fooies classics, listen on your radio, the Triple M App and triplem.com.au
Medicine at Midnight by Foo Fighters is out now, get your copy here
Catch up on the best of Becko:
Never miss anything from the world of rock with the Best of Triple M Rock playlist!
Make sure you get the Triple M app on iTunes or Google Play so you never miss any of our best stuff!