2008 Woodie Awards
My take on the tune: "Echos, Silence, Patience & Grace" by the Foo Fighters
Kevin Eagan
Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: A&E
It's hard to believe, but Foo Fighters front man and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl is 38. When Grohl joined Nirvana as drummer, he was barely 20, and now (in rock and roll terms, at least) he's a dinosaur. But such is the fate of musicians who keep rocking until their teeth fall out. Just look at Keith Richards, for example.
Luckily for Grohl and the Foo Fighters, their music is still as relevant as ever. Six albums into it, the Foo Fighters keep releasing quality music, and "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" is certainly a musical step up from 2005's "In Your Honor."
The album begins with the now-radio favorite "The Pretender," which not only has some great guitar riffs, it also balances Grohl's softer vocal styles with his signature scream. "The Pretender" kicks off an album that relies on the tried and true Foo Fighters sound, with a few excellent surprises along the way.
But not every track on "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" is pure Foo Fighters gold. On "Erase Replace," the Foo Fighters rely on the guitar/drum interplay that has established them as a rock and roll powerhouse. The track is not the album's best moment; in fact, the song feels like the Foo Fighters are relying on a cookie-cutter sound that has established their career. In other words, it's a bit stale.
Equally, on "Long Road To Ruin," Grohl and company stick to a formula that we've heard before. In fact, the guitar riffs on this song conjure up the spirit of some old 70s pop band, exactly the type of band Grohl and his counterparts once railed against.
Yet there are moments on this album that are some of the Foo Fighters' career best. The 2005 album, "In Your Honor," saw the beginning of a softer, acoustic-guitar based sound. One of the problems with the double album "In Your Honor" was the second disc, which had a stripped down sound and showcased the band's softer side. But it fell short and was mainly a throwaway. On "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," the Foo Fighters seemed to have learned a lesson, and have mixed their slower acoustic songs in with their faster rock songs.
Luckily for Grohl and the Foo Fighters, their music is still as relevant as ever. Six albums into it, the Foo Fighters keep releasing quality music, and "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" is certainly a musical step up from 2005's "In Your Honor."
The album begins with the now-radio favorite "The Pretender," which not only has some great guitar riffs, it also balances Grohl's softer vocal styles with his signature scream. "The Pretender" kicks off an album that relies on the tried and true Foo Fighters sound, with a few excellent surprises along the way.
But not every track on "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" is pure Foo Fighters gold. On "Erase Replace," the Foo Fighters rely on the guitar/drum interplay that has established them as a rock and roll powerhouse. The track is not the album's best moment; in fact, the song feels like the Foo Fighters are relying on a cookie-cutter sound that has established their career. In other words, it's a bit stale.
Equally, on "Long Road To Ruin," Grohl and company stick to a formula that we've heard before. In fact, the guitar riffs on this song conjure up the spirit of some old 70s pop band, exactly the type of band Grohl and his counterparts once railed against.
Yet there are moments on this album that are some of the Foo Fighters' career best. The 2005 album, "In Your Honor," saw the beginning of a softer, acoustic-guitar based sound. One of the problems with the double album "In Your Honor" was the second disc, which had a stripped down sound and showcased the band's softer side. But it fell short and was mainly a throwaway. On "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," the Foo Fighters seemed to have learned a lesson, and have mixed their slower acoustic songs in with their faster rock songs.
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