Light is a muscular rock & roll throwdown, featuring the Foos delivering exactly the kind of catchy, pummeling anthems they're known for, with total disregard for the whims of the masses.
Wasting Light sounds like the work of a band with something to prove, rather than the work of one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
What really matters is that nearly ten years after Songs for the Deaf, Josh Homme's influence finally rears its head on a Foo Fighters record, Dave Grohl leading his band of merry marauders -- including Pat Smear, who returns to the fold for the first time since 1997's The Colour and the Shape -- through the fiercest album they've ever made.
It's Grohl's most memorable set of songs since 1997's The Colour and the Shape.
Wasting Light has cornered the kind of ideas that make up the best of the band’s catalog in an earnest attempt to go as big as possible, while staying relatively grounded.
Given their status, it wouldn't have been a surprise if Wasting Light had been a by-numbers affair for Foo Fighters.
The defining album of his career, Wasting Light is the sound of Dave Grohl putting his whole life in context.
Wasted Light finds Foo Fighters at their boldest, their most vivid.
The album reunites Grohl with producer Butch Vig, who worked on Nirvana's 1991 monster, Nevermind, and brings the same nuanced approach to weight and release here.
Not everything is so different ... and in a good way. The Foo Fighters still adhere to the formula that sells out arenas from London to Japan.
Wasting Light is so consistently good that its minor flaws are subsumed by the sense of goodwill and energy it generates.
If nothing else, Wasting Light is Foo Fighters' first generally good record in six years, solid from top to bottom without the filler that marred the band's early records.
Wasting Light isn't a masterpiece, nor does it see Grohl really reinventing the wheel as far as the band's sound goes, but it's clearly painted from a broader pallette of colours and it's clearly their first consistently good set of songs.
Even after several listens there’s little here to really strike a chord with the long-standing Foos fan. That’s not to say it’s poor – it’s far from that.
Catchy choruses remain, arpeggios hardly make an appearance in favor of volatile hooks, and quiet-loud dynamics are still the norm.
While Wasting Light features a host of worthy set-openers, few prove to be as sticky or memorable as any number of their previous singles.
Wasting Light is easily one of Foo Fighters' most consistent effort in their past several albums, but it's not resonating with me like I wanted it to. Chalk it up to the album just not being my style, I suppose.
The occasional ghastly clunker such as Miss the Misery apart, the songs do their job ruthlessly and brutally. But there's a welcome lighter touch on I Should Have Known, Grohl's touching address to Cobain (featuring Nirvana's Krist Novoselic on bass and accordion), and Walk, perhaps the most satisfying Foo rocker since Learn to Fly.
Wasting Light appears to be just another good, if forgettable, entry in the Foo Fighters catalogue.
Wasting Light is so straightforward and template driven.
Much of Wasting Light rocks just fine, but takes precisely no risks with the Foos' commercially peaking, but artistically diminishing, tattooed chug-pop.
One of Foo Fighters finest albums, bringing in the over-the-top rock and roll swagger of yesteryear, to the polish, grit and fun of more modern rock staples, creating a fun as hell and refreshingly creative album from one of rocks loudest voices (Both literally and figuratively).
Favorite Jams: White Limo, These Days, I Should Have Known
Lest Favorite: A Matter Of Time
You aren't wasting my time with this one
YESS FINALLY. It's been four mediocre albums since The Colour and The Shape, and not only is this album better than those four albums, but it's also my favorite Foo Fighters album. Everything that was missing from their work before this was solved with this album. The insanely punchy production, the catchy hooks and great songwriting, and the overall passion that is thrown into this project. Dave Grohl sounds so much more alive. Go listen to In Your ... read more
This is one of their best albums. Everything sounds so good, and, surprisingly, a band can stay consistent and good after all these years. Very exciting!
1 | Bridge Burning 4:45 | 92 |
2 | Rope 4:18 | 92 |
3 | Dear Rosemary 4:25 | 87 |
4 | White Limo 3:22 | 89 |
5 | Arlandria 4:27 | 87 |
6 | These Days 4:57 | 89 |
7 | Back & Forth 3:51 | 82 |
8 | A Matter of Time 4:35 | 83 |
9 | Miss the Misery 4:33 | 82 |
10 | I Should Have Known 4:15 | 84 |
11 | Walk 4:17 | 94 |
#5 | / | Consequence of Sound |
#10 | / | Amazon |
#11 | / | Gigwise |
#17 | / | FILTER |
#20 | / | Rolling Stone |
#41 | / | PopMatters |
#43 | / | NME |
#45 | / | No Ripcord |
#46 | / | SPIN |