New Foo Fighters album: Review and all you need to know

Like every group, some of the Foo Fighters' albums are better than others. The band has never truly failed to entertain and put out good music, though. Whatever magic Dave Grohl has - and he has had the magic for as long as the world has known him as a musician - he needs to bottle it and give it away because it will make the world a better place.

The band has also had a tumultuous last 15 months. Taylor Hawkins, the band's long-term drummer, passed away suddenly in March of 2022 as the band was playing some shows in South America. Since then, however, the rest of the Foos have played a handful of concerts, including ones honoring Hawks, and recorded their new album, But Here We Are.

The album was released on June 2nd by Roswell Records and RCA Records and both long-term fans and those who might be new to listening to the band (if those people still exist) should be happy. It's not always an easy record to listen to. Clearly, there is a theme of sadness, but also one of overcoming that and reflecting with celebration about the time the band had with Hawkins.

Foo Fighters find hope in a sometimes hopeless world on new album

"Without misery, there can be no beauty," said Harlan Ellison. That phrase has never been truer related to anything as it can be of But Here We Are. There is bombast, sure. This is a Foo Fighters album, after all. But that is coupled with lyrics that at times become the poems of real heartbreak of both the death of Hawkins and the passing of Grohl's mother in July of 2022.

"The Teacher" might be the Foo Fighters' most ambitious song as it comes in at 10 minutes and never bores. The yearning of the words "Wake up" early on is a mantra that might remind some of what Bono sang on U2's "Tomorrow" from that band's second album which was a song about the passing of Bono's mother. Both "The Teacher" and "Tomorrow" are attempts to find reason from the madness and while haunting at times, end up being triumphant.

The album is just 10 songs, however, which as it turns out is the perfect amount for the record is intended to be. Meaning, the record is a collection of tunes about loss, but ultimately celebratory. This album isn't about survival so much as it is a revival of hope in a world that seems like eternal sadness.

Tracklist:

01 Rescued

02 Under You

03 Hearing Voices

04 But Here We Are

05 The Glass

06 Nothing at All

07 Show Me How

08 Beyond Me

09 The Teacher

10 Rest

Rate: 9 out of 10