Foo Fighters - Concrete And Gold (September 15th, 2017) Album • Page 5

yeah i thought this was OK. It's def better then Sonic Highways (not saying much) but only 4 or 5 songs stuck out to me and we'd heard 3 of them already. Maybe it'll change.

 

Weird, I thought Kurstin helped Dave's vocals tremendously. He pulled them back a great deal, as compared to their other records, and the inclusion of counter melodies and harmonies was a nice change of a pace from the obligatory scream. The vocals are quite soulful, too. Go back and listen to something from Sonic Highways, and I think that'll provide a nice contrast as far as the vocal sound on this record. As a musician myself, I thought Sonic Highways contained Dave's weakest melodies (and vocal performance) to date. Thus, I totally understand why he reached out to a singer's producer for this record.

 

I haven't listened to the leak, as I am going to wait, but is the mix sounding muddled to anyone else? I like the songs a lot, but especially on The Line, I can't tell what Dave is saying because he feels mixed in with the drums and those big epic moments feel completely washed out.

 

The quality of the leak leaves a lot to be desired.

The music, however, is fantastic. Definitely a return to form after the last two.

 

Love: T-Shirt, Run, Make It Right, Sky, Dirty Water, Happy Ever After
Like: Sunday Rain, Arrows
Undecided: La Dee Da, Concrete and Gold (Both have elements that I like; I just find myself bypassing them on re-listens.)
Meh: The Line

 

I can't be the only one who hears that part from AFI's Sing The Sorrow toward the end of "T-Shirt." I think it's "The Leaving Song Part II." I mean, it's a standard octave pattern in both cases, but same notes. Timing isn't identical, either.

 

His vocal sound is strong, but that's different from the melodies. I think the hooks are kind of lacking here. I liked the record better on my second listen, though, so maybe it will continue to grow on me.

I like the last three records more than most people. Sonic Highways has a few songs I still really enjoy, and Echoes might be my favorite Foos record. So I'm not a typical fan, I guess.

 

What are the SH songs? I still really enjoy that record. "I Am A River" is a top 10 Foo song for me

 

Something From Nothing, Congregation, and Outside are all solid

 

Sonic Highways was fine but didn't have much lasting value. That said, I'm not much of a Foos fan, I'd say the only album I can totally get behind is Wasting Light. I'll spin this one later today.

 

Outside especially! That might crack my top 10 as well

 

Outside, River and Subterranean are the only Sonic Highways songs I revisit. I detest Something from Nothing and Congregation.

 

The Colour and the Shape remains a masterpiece 20 years later.

 

i really like the tracks 1-5, kinda lost me after that

 

I dig "Congregation" and "Something from Nothing" especially. "Outside," "Subterranean," and "I Am A River" are also cool. I liked the experimentation on that record, even if the concept sometimes proved to be more of an obstacle than an asset. Actually, the only one I don't really care for is "The Feast and the Famine."

 

Intentional. Usually, the mix has him too in front of the band. This time, they pulled him back so he's intertwined with the band. This is how they're able to layer additional vocals, counter melodies and harmonies. It's Kurstin's signature.

 

Yeah, those are all good to great, and the closer is pretty dang good too, so that's 75% of the album. And neither of the other two tracks are outright bad. That album is unfairly maligned.

 

I addressed both melody and vocal performance in my previous message. However, I still disagree, especially since there are counter melodies and harmonies for days. Weak lead melodies wouldn't allow for such delights.

 

On first listen, I thought this was half of a great record and half of a good one, but I think that could change upon subsequent listens (especially considering the quality of the leak). I also enjoyed Sonic Highways more than most (Craig and I seem to have fairly similar tastes when it comes to this band, haha), so I'm going to finish revisiting their discography before I write about this one and really try to place it. They sound like they're having a blast , and that really comes through imo. The midsection ("The Sky is a Neighborhood" through "Happy Ever After") is especially strong.

 

Yes, building counter melodies and harmonies off weak melodies is definitely not possible...

 

Liking it more after three listens. "Arrows" is a cool song. I like "Dirty Water" more than I did initially. Still think it's pretty dope they got Sir Paul to play drums on "Sunday Rain."

 

You know that's not what I'm saying. From personal experience, good leads to even more good.

 

So when Seether covers Thrice, that should just be completely amazing. Right?

 

How dare you.

 

Take a song like "In The Clear" –– perhaps, the worst Foo song ever released. The music is unequivocally bad, and that's what they started with per that record's writing process. Thus, the vocals are among their worst (melodies included). If you give a good musician one good idea, they can turn it into 100 more good ideas. Everything starts with that first good idea, be it a riff or a vocal melody. Obviously, that initial inspiration is the hardest part.