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 A "just ok" entry from the Foos. Dec 30, 2009
I have long been a fan of the Foo Fighters, primarily because of the fun and energy of their live performances. I enjoy their songs well enough, but have always found their individual albums mixed bags of great songs and lots of so-so ones. ESP&G is no exception to this rule and in fact seems more mixed in results than ever.
The opening tracks, "The Pretender" and "Let It Die", are quite promising for what's to come. Full of energy and extremely catchy, with plenty of loud/soft contrasts that leave the listener engaged and excited. "Erase/Replace" keeps up the high energy but starts to feel a little monotonous and flat in comparison to the first two tracks. Next up is "Long Road To Ruin", a kind of classic radio-friendly Foo song along the lines of "Learn To Fly" but...it feels as though they are running over well-tread and not-so-interesting ground this time around. I grew to like this song more on repeat listenings, but it's never going to be one of my favorites.
Two softer tracks follow, "Come Alive", which eventually builds some steam towards the end but I found boring after a few too many repeated listenings. I liked "Stranger Things Have Happened" better, a track which could have easily fit on the acoustic disc of "In Your Honor" but is soft without being sappy.
It's after this that the album really stalls for me. The best thing about "Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up Is Running)" is definitely its title; the song itself sounds like any other forgettable pop-rock act out there on the radio. "Summer's End" fails to really hook into its lazy, folk-rock groove and the instrumental guitar track "Ballad Of The Beaconsfield Miners" just feels completely out of place and like nothing more than filler.
Things get better for the end, however. I loved "Statues" a lot at first, even though it sounds very little like the Foos and more as though Dave Grohl is channeling Wings. Even so, the song got a bit tiring to me after repeated listens, a bit of a one-trick pony. "But, Honestly" returns to the good power of the album's opening tracks, that great mixture of melody and driving rock that I enjoy the most about the Foos. Lastly is "Home", a very pretty ballad and not a bad note to end the album on.
All in all, it's hard to rate this album overall as it feels so very disjointed in sound, energy and styles. It's almost as if the Foos had a few great songs to start and were scraping around and stabbing out in odd directions to fill up the rest. It left me wondering whether the band as a whole was just running out of creative steam - certainly hearing the power and fun Grohl is having currently with Them Crooked Vultures has lead me to revisit these thoughts and questions about the Foos and this album.
So basically I'd rate ESP&G as "just ok" and only of real interest to already devoted fans. Those looking to get into the Foos for the first time should look instead to their earlier work.
 Great from start to finish Jul 09, 2009
This is the kind of album you listen to all the way through, then do it over again. Each time I hear this CD, I discover some new nuance in the songs.
Some reviewers say that this is a great album, but not their best work. I disagree. This album shows their maturity as artists and a strong commitment to quality.
An Absolute Must Buy!!!! Apr 10, 2009
This is a brilliant CD. Don't pass it up. Three songs stand out. "The Pretender"-hard, fast and absolutely fantastic. "Let It Die" which is clearly addressed to Kurt Cobain. And "Home", a song which reached in and grabbed me.
The Foo Fighters have always had stuff I liked, but this CD has sold me on them for good. Absolutely amazing.
Echoes Silence Patience and Grace Apr 06, 2009
This was a really great CD in excellent condition. I would definitely buy here again in the future!
Great Foo Fighers album! Feb 05, 2009
I've been a long-time fan of the Foo Fighters and this album didn't disappoint. It's modern, but it certainly maintains the Foo's signature sound. I caught them in concert this past summer, playing many of the songs from this album, and they were amazing. They played for over three hours and they sounded just like they do on the radio. If you're a Foo Fighters fan, this album is a must.
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