A collision of heavy metal grit and lush psychedelic pop. Dense vocal harmonies meet stadium-sized riffs in a record defined by political tension and hope.
It's what happens when the loudest band in the world gets obsessed with 60s pop harmonies and the end of the world.
A heavy, psychedelic collision of political anxiety and stadium-sized resilience.
Concrete and Gold, released in 2017, represents a significant sonic expansion for Foo Fighters, moving away from the 'back-to-basics' approach of Wasting Light and the documentary-style concept of Sonic Highways. Produced by Greg Kurstin, known primarily for his work in the pop sphere with artists like Adele and Sia, the album was famously described by Dave Grohl as 'Sgt. Pepper's by Motorhead.' This juxtaposition of heavy, aggressive rock and sophisticated pop arrangement is the album's defining characteristic. Recorded at EastWest Studios, the sessions were notable for their collaborative spirit, featuring guest appearances from Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney, and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men. Lyrically, the album is deeply influenced by the polarized political climate of the 2016 US election, though Grohl filters these frustrations through a lens of personal resilience and existential questioning. It stands as one of the band's most experimental and texturally dense works, successfully bridging the gap between their post-grunge roots and a more adventurous, psychedelic-tinged future.
Put this on for
Freeway at midnight with the windows down and the volume at the threshold of painThat specific moment the storm breaks and the sky turns a bruised purplePacing a small room while the news cycle spins out of controlHeadphones on in a crowded terminal when you need to feel invincibleLast mile of a long run when your lungs are burning but you won't stopBackyard fire pit with old friends and a heavy sense of the futureGritting your teeth through a commute that feels like a battle
Moments worth waiting for
The sudden, violent explosion of sound on track 1 that transitions into the frantic metal-tinged riff of Run.
The eerie, stacked vocal harmonies of Shawn Stockman on the title track creating a massive, gothic wall of sound.
The shift in Dirty Water from a gentle, shimmering indie-pop groove into a crushing, feedback-laden heavy rock finale.
Sounds like
2017s production with a 2010s soul
Sits beside
Villains - Queens of the Stone Age, The 2nd Law - Muse, A Moon Shaped Pool - Radiohead, Like Clockwork - Queens of the Stone Age
Lyrical territory
social_commentary, existential, political
03Deviation
Concrete and Gold · vs · Foo Fighters
Artist
This Album
High Energy
Energy · ↓ −16% less than usual
On this album, high energy sits about 16% less prominent than across the rest of the artist's catalogue.
