Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

I spend an inordinate amount of time conjuring up musical 'what if's in my head. What if The Beatles hadn't broken up, what if Marc Bolan hadn't died, what if The Flaming Lips recorded Nilsson's The Point in its entirety (admit it, it would be completely awesome). I could go on...

Sometimes life throws you a bone, and you get to find out exactly what would happen 'if'. What if Pat Smear hadn't left Foo Fighters after The Color and The Shape?

I've enjoyed most of what Dave Grohl has managed to do with Foo Fighters. They're one of the most consistent rock bands currently operating, and can always be relied upon for a decent tune, entertaining clip, and sold out tour (at least in Australia). The thing is that, with the occasional exception, they tended to rock a little more mildly after Smear left. Still great songs, just a little light on intensity.

Smear is back for Wasting Light, and so is the intensity. Grohl screams his way through much of the album like a man possessed. There's still a few milder tracks, but even they have the volume turned up to 11. To be fair, Smear's return isn't the only change. Grohl has had a busman's holiday drumming with Them Crooked Vultures, and he may have had his heavier urgings revitalised by playing with two giants of the genre.

The other factor which I can't ignore is the production. Grohl has enlisted Nevermind producer (and personal hero of mine) Butch Vig. He's also decided to record the whole thing in his garage, and on to tape. No digital trickery (well, not until the mastering stage obviously). An attempt to reconnect with making a rock record the way they used to be made.

The end result of all this revitalisation is a record that sounds absolutely amazing. I don't think there's anybody out there who can get a drum sound quite as crisp as Vig, and it anchors the whole album. The guitars are loud and shredding, the vocals resting neatly on a wall of rock sound (when they're not adding to it).

Grohl hasn't really matured as a songwriter, and these certainly aren't the best work of his career (that credit still going to Everlong) but they are a great set of rock songs, and hopefully they've put a few more years of life into this aging, but entertaining rock horse.