The Foo Fighters’ frontman Dave Grohl said in a recent interview that he’s a comedic kind of guy, and the music he makes is a reflection of his light-hearted perspective on life.
On his band’s latest album, however, Grohl and Co. mix their patented sarcastic shtick with a touch of solemnness, and the result is the Foo’s finest effort ever and the purest rock album released this year.
The album, “One By One,” is a full throttle onslaught of grunge, punk and metal, and the first single, “All My Life,” is a raucous kick off to an album that refuses to let up and never lets down.
On gritty songs like “Disenchanted Lullaby” and “Tired of You,” the Foos take on an aggressive tone that is nothing short of mesmerizing.
On “Tired of You,” a low-key guitar strum backs Grohl’s gravelly crooning as he contemplates a fragile relationship–“I won’t go getting tired of you/I’m not getting tired/Hanging on this wire, waiting for the day I have to choose.”
“Come Back” is reminiscent of Grohl’s former band, Nirvana, as the Foos reflect their grungy roots with lyrics like “Dead on the inside, I’ve got nothing to prove/Keep me alive and give me something to lose.”
Although heavy-handed in spots, “One By One” is not all gloomy self-reflection.
The album also displays the band’s sharp wit, and songs like “Lonely As You” and “Halo” provide a perfect sense of balance between the serious and the sarcastic.
“I’m down and out again/But I’m down with you/One more time for the last time,” Grohl sings on “Lonely As You.”
Although court battles and a new Nirvana album have stretched Dave Grohl thin over the past few months, “One By One” shows no ill effects and is an outstanding achievement of a man and his band who simply know how to rock.
“Rock music always seems to be better when we have an album out,” Grohl deadpanned in a 1999 TV interview.
After the sheer power of “One By One,” anyone would be hard pressed to argue with him.