The last two albums I purchased (actual CDs, mind you!) have been highly anticipated (by myself, of course) and quite friggin’ epic. That’s why I just can’t stop talking about them. Because I’ve already talked about these damn records ad nauseam, I’m going to (try to) keep this brief. And hopefully do so with way less parentheses.
The Sounds latest (and fourth…shit!), Something To Die For, is both experimental and a return to form. It’s no secret that this blogger wasn’t a big fan of the last effort, Crossing the Rubicon, but there’s something about Something that just brings the vibe back to the band’s good ol’ prime. The attitude is back and so are the dance beats. There’s even some killer guitars on tracks like “Yeah Yeah Yeah” and “Diana.” Frankly, the songwriting is world’s better than Rubicon‘s.
The Sounds didn’t hesitate to experiment with some techno/house beats, however, which I’m not sure really works in their domain. “Better Off Dead” has an off-putting mid-song breakdown; one no Sounds fan is accustomed to. Does it work? Kind of, yes. Is it a direction the band should be heading toward? No. If the next album is insanely clubby, then I literally will be better off dead. (Well, that’s dramatic, innit?)
Download These: title track “Something To Die For,” the back-to-basics “The No No Song,” and “Dance With the Devil.”
And then there’s THIS:
I’ve been blogging and writing and yapping about this album for months now, and after finally listening to the disc through a few times: it’s totally worth the hype.
Dave Grohl and the gang brought their A-game, with tracks that make up the band’s best work since 1997’s The Colour and the Shape. Recorded on analog from the comforts of Grohl’s garage, Wasting Light is loud, proud and always in your face. From start to finish, the energy is palpable. Real “turn-it-up-to-11” material.
Though none of the tracks quite match the previously-leaked scream-fest of “White Limo,” most of the album’s songs remain extremely heavy…especially given The Foo’s mainstream status nowadays. It’s absolutely fascinating how this band walks the delicate tightrope between Hard Rock refugees and Pop Radio Hitmakers.
Buy this album. Play it loud. You’ll even get a slice of the destroyed master tapes as a souvenir! Excellent!
Download These: “White Limo,” “Rope,” and “Arlandia.”
You hear these albums? Holler at me!
I promise to never talk about Foo Fighters or The Sounds ever again.
By now, you surely know I’m lying.
