Concrete and Gold
Following the crunchy, conceptual sprawl of 2014’s *Sonic Highways*—an album whose making was documented in an equally ambitious HBO series of the same name—Foo Fighters show no signs of slowing down. Recorded alongside The Bird and The Bee’s Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia) in just one L.A. studio, *Concrete and Gold* finds the Foos balancing Beatles-like pop (see: the psychedelic shimmer and lush harmonies of “Happy Ever After (Zero Hour)”) with metallic abandon (see also: the quiet-LOUD thrills of “Run”), all while making room for guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, and Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman. Further proof that rock’s most reliable band can still surprise us.
Nine albums in and Dave Grohl knows how to keep the machine running. Concrete and Gold is reliable, relatable, and powerful with just barely enough new ideas to keep things interesting.
He has been in two of the biggest rock bands of all time, but it’s clear that Dave Grohl remains an unjaded, over-the-top rock fan (witness his recent appearance in the pit at a Metallica show). Only somebody who grew up under the protective umbrella of album-oriented rock FM radio could pull off an inspired cover to…
The Foo Fighters’ ninth is a little bit Queen, a little bit Prince and a lot great. Get NME's verdict on Foo Fighters new album.
The world's biggest rock band recall the 60's and 70's on their ninth album.
That they’ve managed to hunker down and create a collection that proves that they aren’t ready crawl fade away just yet.
At the end of 2015, with bones broken and minds weary, Foo Fighters went on a well-deserved hiatus.
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Anybody as obsessed with musical chops as Dave Grohl would inevitably drift toward prog rock, which is precisely what happens with Foo Fighters on their ninth album.
The Foo Fighters have been a dependable institution in rock music for over 20 years, and even if their music isn't breaking any new ground,...
Concrete and Gold may land with a bit of a shrug, relying on overly familiar hard rock grooves and staying largely in the band's comfort zone.
It may seem overly simplistic, but it is possible to split most of the Foo Fighters' songs into two distinct categories; The heartfelt, emotive
The stadium rockers’ ninth album boasts impressive guests but few real departures from their trademark sound
With guest slots for Paul McCartney and Justin Timberlake, the help of Adele co-writer Greg Kurstin and lyrics about Nazi-fixated punks, Dave Grohl finds just enough inspiration to keep the ball rolling
Foo Fighters - Concrete and Gold review: Pretend there’s nothing wrong, you can sing along with me.
Dave Grohl has described the ninth album from his band Foo Fighters as “Motörhead’s version of Sergeant Pepper”.
US rock giants' ninth is polished and gigantic but basically follows their usual formula. Review by Thomas H Green.