Foo Fighters - Medicine at Midnight

 

"Medicine at Midnight" is the 10th album by American stadium rockers the Foo Fighters.  They are so well known across the globe that everyone knows what they are about and know exactly how they go about their business.  Personally, I got into them during the 3rd album "There's nothing left to lose" era and went to see them during that touring cycle.  As well as seeing them more recently on their "Concrete and Gold" tour.   To me they have always made good albums and have always had songs on these albums which are classic rock anthems.  But three albums stood out to me above all as being classic albums and they are "Colour and the Shape", "There's nothing left to lose" and "Wasting light".  But how does "Medicine at midnight" stack up? Well, let us dive in...,.,

When they released the first single "Shame, Shame" from the album in the run up to release I was disappointed, and I do not think I was the only one.  Normally a first single from a Foo Fighters album is released its a bombastic, singalong rock anthem.  And this, well, it just is not.  Instead of going into a soaring chorus, it is like when Dave Grohl sings "Shame, Shame" the song goes the other direction and makes it the low point of the song.  I know touring is far off now but if this is playing at a gig instead of jumping and singing along during the chorus, you would almost be turning round to your mate and shrugging "Shame, Shame".  

But I this song is perhaps getting in the spotlight because it was released first.  I think if this were not released as a single and put on the album as an album track this would be received differently.  As it has got this slower, deep groove bassline that's actually quite a bit different than the Foo Fighters would normally do.  And this is not the only song on the album which does this, title track "Medicine at Midnight" also has this slower approach.  Now with this album it is by no means an experimental album, it is still a rock record.  But what it does show to me is that Foo Fighters are still a creative force still, after all this time.  "Waiting on a War" is another song which shows this and personally I feel this was rightfully released as a single.  While this is a build-up song and arguably, they have done better in the past with this song with the likes of "Come Alive" and "Something from nothing"; they have introduced strings as the song progresses to keep things fresh and original at least for them.

"No Son of Mine" is more straight up and sounds more like what they have come up with before. While "Holding Poison" is just ok for the most part but is saved by the best guitar solo which has appeared on a Foos record for a while.  Opening track "Making a Fire" is another track they try something different with the "Na, na, na, na, na" approach.  While many will be thinking that there will never be a song with "Na, na, na, na" as good as Blink 182's "All the small things".  You really should go listen to the Mooney Suziki's "Alive and Amplified" because it is just an audacious and wild, all out rocker of a track that "Making a Fire" can only dream of being.  

"Love dies young" is an upbeat finish and concludes the album nicely. It is not an epic by any means, but it has the feel of an album closer which is important.  But the best track of the album in my opinion is the penultimate track "Chasing birds".  It is a downbeat, low key, predominantly acoustic number which for me brings out the best of Dave Grohl's vocals.  I am not sure if I detect Rami Jaffee's keyboards on this, if it is, for me, it is a bit lost in the mix and to be honest it feels like his keyboards are for the whole album.  I am not sure what he adds to the sound which to me is quite unfortunate.  For a band that is clearly looking to keep things fresh and try new things. They have a resource right there in the band to allow them to be more creative and they just do not seem to be using him.

Overall, I would say this is an ok album. By no means, a classic but there are songs which I think could fit in their setlist. When you consider the choice, they have now is no mean feat.  Sitting at 9 tracks and 36 minutes I think it was wise to stick to this as there are a few duds on this album too so at least by having less tracks they did not reduce the quality anymore by putting more weaker songs on the album.