CD Review

Dave Grohl has never been shy about coming out behind the drum kit. In fact, when you hear his name these days, how often does Nirvana even spring to mind before The Foo Fighters? When we first saw Grohl step out with his "experimental" project ten years ago, who wasn’t surprised that "Kurt’s drummer" could acutallly play a mean guitar while singing.

Four albums later, The Foo Fighters are now one of rock’s titanic acts. Big enough to get slapped with the appropriate backing to release a double album. Not many bands can get away with such over-indulgence, but if you can, then why not go for it. Hey, The Beatles pulled the white double vinyl off in ’68 and Led Zeppelin made quite the Physical Graffiti in ’75, so why not the Foo Fighters in ’05 with the electric/acoustic In Your Honor?

The Foo Fighters have always suffered from the Smashing Pumpkins complex. Sure there are other musicians in the band, but somehow it feels like one guy is calling all the shots, and Grohl definitely gets his fill of tape. The electric album comes off like a 70’s Aerosmith album, which is packed with one wave your first anthem after another, but without a true "Last Child" or "Mama Kin." The distorted twin guitar and Grohl’s mediocre, yet comfortable shrills give tunes like "No Way Back" and "DOA" a potent arena rock flair." But when you hear more of the bittersweet melodic rockers like "Resolve" or "Best of You," one has to wonder if this is the best the Foos could conjure in their own Virginia studio. And like an old Aerosmith tune, isn’t this the same "song and dance" that we heard on earlier albums The Colour and the Shape and There Is Nothing Left To Lose? Anyhow, this heavy side will keep "K-Rock" oriented radio program managers smirking.

Which leaves us with the second disc, a chance for Grohl to rest on the stool and record ten acoustic tunes. Is this progress? Perhaps, as the band grabs two well-known Jones’ to complement the project –Norah and John Paul. This exposed setting lets Grohl reveal his lyrical shortcomings, but the nice production work makes you forget the words. As when Nirvana went unplugged in NYC, we get to see a new side of a band we thought we already knew. "Miracle" and "Another Round" feature John Paul Jones on piano and mandolin, while Norah Jones is more distinguished on "Virginia Mood," where she provides a jazz flair that comes off as a sweet lullaby. Even rock photographer Danny Clinch comes out of nowhere to lend harmonica chops to "Another Round." And for those who have had enough of Dave Grohl unplugged, drummer Taylor Hawkins handles lead vocals on "Cold Day In The Sun."

In Your Honor won’t be remembered in rock and roll history as an epic double album, but it will be honored for showing the softer and harder side of a band with an obvious knack for rock and roll hooks. But perhaps things have gone too well in this fairy tale, as Grohl hasn’t been too shy about brushing aside attitude and adversity in his music… even on a twenty-song effort.