After a decade and a half of rocking hard and kicking a** indiscriminately, the Foo Fighters have finally compiled an album that encompasses the hits of one of modern rock's most important and consistent bands.
Anybody who knows me can vouch when I tell you I am more than a casual fan of Dave Grohl and company. I have done my best in the past to not overindulge and take the opportunities I have been given to simply display my love for one of rock's most talented groups. However, with Tuesday's release of their new greatest hits album, I can hold shut the floodgates no longer.
Few people could have anticipated Grohl's success after the tragic end of the musical and cultural phenomenon that was Nirvana. Despite the doubters and naysayers, he put together a debut album that quickly played harbinger to the beginning of something special. Almost 15 years later, Grohl and the Foos have another piece of tangible evidence that archives their success as a band.
Their greatest hits album, which hit shelves Oct. 27, is a testament and a milestone to the influence and popularity of Foo. It starts off with the heart-banging rocker "All My Life," and it doesn't lose any momentum carrying through the album. The track list includes 13 of their biggest hits, including catchy tunes like "Learn to Fly" and "Long Road to Ruin," as well as the enigmatic rock anthems like "Best of You" and "The Pretender." It also includes both the original and the acoustic versions of "Everlong."
The album also includes two new tracks: "Wheels" and "Word Forward." "Wheels" has already garnered significant radio time during the last few weeks after being released as a single more than a month ago. It's an alternative, almost folky rock tune that sounds like one of the more experimental tunes from 2007's "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace." It's a great track and it further displays the band's versatility as musicians.
"Word Forward" combines the acoustic aspects that made In Your Honor so powerful with the more potent energy of earlier albums. It provides fans with an added opportunity to hear Dave scream and deliver his vocals in a manner that was not present on the band's most recent album nearly as much as it had been in the past.
Ultimately, I cannot overemphasize how I think of the Foo Fighters. I fear that my words cannot do justice to the energy and influence Dave Grohl has had on modern rock, and that many will go without ever taking the opportunity to experience a performance or listen to an album. Their concerts are electrifying to a degree that I cannot express, and I have never found a situation that could not be improved even slightly by listening to some amazing music.
The Foo Fighters have gained worldwide popularity and have established themselves as one of only a handful of the remaining arena rock bands. So here's to nearly 15 fantastic years, and to what I hope will be 15 more.
