Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (Some thoughts...)

Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

On finding a link to the new FF album – I was all over it. The last few days I have listened to it over and over. The same as most albums by this band, some tracks take a little while to grow on you. But overall I feel this might be their best work yet, cliché I know but there’s really no other way to put it.

The music I enjoy really depends on my mood or what mood I want to be in. For me music can change my mood or float along nicely beside my existing mood.

Note: I know nothing about music other than my personal opinions – so don’t expect anything technical here. My music knowledge isn’t great either so don’t expect comparisons to other bands and that either.

Track by track....my thoughts and opinions (count for....!)

Bridge Burning
You can imagine the line “Whatever keeps you warm at night” being sung loudly by the crowd at their forth coming gigs. I’d give this track 8 out of 10. It’s one that has to grow on you. This is a pretty uplifting track what can bring me right out of a low mood and feel I am totally ‘on it’.

Rope
I liked this track from the first time I heard it so 10 out of 10 for instant likeability. Mood wise this is very much like the first track that opens the album. Very much an ‘on it’ track for me. “Give me some rope, I’m coming loose” will be the line belted out at their gigs. They seem to thrive on fitting in those kinds of lines into their tracks; it seems their live performances are at the forefront of their minds when recording. Seeing them live many times, you can tell this is their main passion – getting out there and playing their work live. Dave always has time to speak to the crowd and engage them – so often these days bands are ‘too cool’ to give much back but you never find this with the Foos.

Dear Rosemary
This track has a certain amount of melancholy for me – but that’s ok because that is one of my usual moods. Therefore it is a favourite of mine so it’s 9 out of 10 here. It’s uplifting at the same time. With many “you are, you are, you are”‘s for the crowd to sing along to this track will also do well on the live circuit. I can imagine this being a good driving along belting it out kinda song once you know all the lyrics. I think it might be about a woman being a bit of a bitch to a guy.

White Limo
I have not really connected with this track at all as yet even after many chances so it’s sadly 2 out of 10. That is all.

Arlandria
Love this track so it’s 9 out of 10 here. Funky little track with sexual overtones. Makes me feel kinda sexy and could easily be played to get into that frame of mind. My sing-a-long lyrics of choice here are:

“You used to say I couldn't save you enough, So I've been savin it up, I started savin it up. And when you said I couldn't give you enough, I started givin you up, I started givin you up. You are not me, Arlandria, Arlandria. You and what army, Arlandria, Arlandria?”

The ‘what army’ part gives this track a definite placing in this era being a ‘bang on trend’ phrase. I just love it.

These Days
Bit of a sad song here. I think this could be useful when someone close to you is dying or has died. I’d give it about 6 out of 10. It doesn’t do a lot for me right now. Brings me right down! *skips track*

Back & Forth
Now we’re talking with 10 out of 10 here. “I’m looking for some back & forth with you....” To me this feels like a song about the maintaining of a relationship.

A Matter of Time
Don’t like the start of this track at all – it offends my ears. Just doesn’t do a lot for me. Nothing special here so it is 2 out of 10.

Miss the Misery
This sounds pretty raw and beefy. Not sure which mood this fits or takes me to though. 8 out of 10.

I should have known
Back to melancholy here - it’s a break up song. No doubt about it, but beautiful at the same time. I can see this being on repeat for days with much wine and tears. “Lay your hands in mine, feel me warm one last time”....10 out of 10 for its purpose.

Walk
Not too keen on the start of this track. I do prefer tracks that grab me from the off. To me it seems to be a song about getting back on your feet after having to face adversity in your life. It’s quite uplifting and sing-along-able to. There’s a section where Dave goes off on one of his infamous long rants where he doesn’t seem to need to breathe to sing it all fast and that. 8 out of 10 but it is still growing on me.

Set The Fire To The Third Bar

Well last night Cheryl Cole totally proved herself to be a good singer with Snow Patrol on Children in Need Rocks the Albert Hall - doing their song Set The Fire To The Third Bar - which was originally recorded with Martha Wainwright - so those were some big shoes to step into!



Anyway I thought it was a beautiful emotional performance and here is the audio from radio one this morn if you didnt catch it - click here

also here is a link to the original - click here

and here is a link to the lyrics - click here

but here are the lyrics anyways as they are so beaut

I find the map and draw a straight line
Over rivers, farms, and state lines
The distance from 'A' to where you'd be
It's only finger-lengths that I see
I touch the place where I'd find your face
My finger in creases of distant dark places

I hang my coat up in the first bar
There is no peace that I've found so far
The laughter penetrates my silence
As drunken men find flaws in science

Their words mostly noises
Ghosts with just voices
Your words in my memory
Are like music to me

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
I, I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms

After I have travelled so far
We'd set the fire to the third bar
We'd share each other like an island
Until exhausted, close our eyelids
And dreaming, pick up from
The last place we left off
Your soft skin is weeping
A joy you can't keep in

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
And I, I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
and I, I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms

Pop Star Rant

Something has really bugged me of late regarding the female pop star music scene.

In haste - as I am off out for dinner - but Alexandra Burke's new song Bad Boys - see video link below - is REALLY GOOD.......sticks with a storyline in the video, she can sing, her outfit is great, it ticks all the female pop star boxes for me - and DAMN is this song catchy! It has been going round my head since I saw it on X Factor the other week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li_nzTVYpk8 - click there to watch it

The issue is.......Cheryl Cole was Alexandra's mentor on X Factor LAST YEAR right - so you'd think them both releasing songs at a similar time would be wrong for starters - not only this but who'd of thought it - Alexandra's song and video are GREAT and Cheryl's are NOT. See video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMiy_UsrPDs - watch Cheryl's less than good video here

The problem is Cheryl and team can't decide on a 'look' for her - so they thought hey let's just add all the different looks into one video!?!? NO - bad idea - it really doesn't work.

it's like lots of music videos in one - couldn't pick one outfit!? yes
you're pretty, yes you have great outfits, but sadly your song
sucks.......which is a shame i was looking forward to hearing it but
now - i am nothing but sad for you Cheryl!