By: Pam Ricklin//
Foo Fighters have returned with their 9th studio album Concrete and Gold! It dropped on September 15th and features the two leading singles “Run” and “The Sky Is A Neighborhood,” which have landed at #1 and #12 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts respectively.
The band took on a new direction with this project while still remaining true to their loud and passionate rock sound. Concrete and Gold contains some tracks that have a gritty/garage/punk sound (“Run,” “The Sky Is A Neighborhood,” “Make It Right,” “La Dee Da”), some that veer more poppy (“Dirty Water,” “Happy Ever After (Zero Hour),” and “Sunday Rain” which has a bluesy rock vibe. Grammy-winner Greg Kurstin produced Concrete and Gold and it shows. This album contains strong melodic hooks, something that Kurstin is known for producing as heard in his previous projects with Adele, Ellie Goulding, Sia, Kelly Clarkson, and P!nk (just to name a few).
Aside from the standard guitar, bass, and drums that are in a typical rock song, Foo Fighters decided to include violin, cello, piano, saxophone, and viola on the new record, making for more epic and unique sounding tracks. There are also quite a few collaborations on the album, all of which I found to be subtly sprinkled throughout. Paul McCartney plays drums on “Sunday Rain,” Justin Timberlake lends some background vocals on “Make It Right,” The Kills’ and The Dead Weathers’ Alison Mosshart sings on “La Dee Da” and “The Sky Is A Neighborhood,” Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman sings background vocals on the title track, Kurstin’s other half in the band The Bird and the Bee, Inara George, sings on “Dirty Water,” and jazz saxophonist Dave Koz performs on “La Dee Da.”
Concrete and Gold is a solid album that I consider to be one of my favorites of 2017 so far. Foo Fighters are a prime example that stepping outside the box while still staying true to your sound makes for a perfect mix.
Listen to the first single “Run”:
