If Kurt Cobain is the pioneer of modern alternative music, Dave Grohl is one of its patron saints. Aside from playing in Nirvana, Foo Fighters and Them Crooked Vultures, Grohl has been recognized by some of rock’s founding fathers. When Paul McCartney played Citi Field’s inaugural performance, he invited two guests along: Billy Joel and Dave Grohl.
His résumé is certainly impressive, but Grohl’s consistent enthusiasm is his most notable quality. Wasting Light is a project built around that enthusiasm, and keeps in line with the solid hard rock that Grohl has become associated with.
If you’ve heard a Foo Fighters album in the past, you probably know what to expect from Wasting Light. Foo Fighters has always been a band built around strict rock fundamentals, so the biggest surprise on Wasting Light is the heavy quality of its sound. Even compared to Nevermind or The Colour and the Shape, Wasting Light hits hard and fast, with more focus on rhythm guitar than riffs or licks. “White Limo” condenses the album’s sound, with grungy rhythm guitar and a guest vocals by Motörhead singer Lemmy Kilmister reaffirming the album’s metal leanings.
It seems like every critique of Wasting Light attributes an anthemic quality to the music, but it’s not fitting criticism. Wasting Light calls on the most well-used tools in Foo Fighter’s arsenal, namely soaring choruses and a very effective sense of dramatic timing. Jock Jams is anthemic. Wasting Light is not.
Foo Fighters make an admirable attempt at metal, but their alternative roots come back to bite them in a couple of places. A majority of the album’s tracks exceed four minutes, and with the exception of “Bridge Burning,” songs are generally too long. It’s also perplexing that the album’s weakest track, “Rope,” ended up being its first single, but it’s an admittedly banal complaint.
If past Foo Fighter’s songs “My Hero” or “Learn to Fly” are what you want from the band, you’ll probably feel a little out of your element. Wasting Light is some of the band’s heaviest work, and probably won’t suit everyone. Those open to a different sound from Foo Fighters, however, should be satisfied with another very solid addition to the band’s catalogue.
