Foo Fighters is a band that has exploded in popularity in recent decades. The band was always decently popular amongst rock fans. However, in the 2010s they broke into the mainstream audience. I’ve always enjoyed the music of the Foo Fighters but haven’t been very partial to their newer material instead preferring the classics from the late 90s and early 2000s era. Nonetheless, I am always interested in new releases.

But Here We Are is the band’s eleventh full-length album. Published by Roswell Records the album totals 10 songs. This album was dedicated to the late drummer Taylor Hawkins who sadly passed away in 2022. It’s clear the profound impact this has had on the band, as many of the songs relate to grief and how it can impact others.

The album begins with “Rescued.” Although the lyrics and writing here left something to be desired for me I enjoyed the instrumentals. Frontman Dave Grohl recorded all the drum sections for this album. It’s great to hear him back on the kit delivering some blazing-fast beats accompanied by solid guitar riffs.

“Under You” is another song that feels a little bland to me. It’s very listenable and has some decent guitar sections along with some deeper messaging conveyed through the lyrics. However, it lacks enough truly standout moments to grab my attention in the long term. It’s the kind of song the band has produced dozens of other times in previous work.

Fortunately, “Hearing Voices” is a lot more interesting with a critical introspective tone and strong bass lines. It deals heavily with self doubt and I like the somewhat fuzzy vocal delivery from Grohl here. The title track “But Here We Are” brings up the intensity featuring soaring, intense vocals from Grohl that are delivered strongly.

I love how you can almost hear the frustration in his voice as he belts out the main chorus. The whole song escalates beautifully and delivers some standout guitar passages which glue everything together. This is coupled with all-around great execution and an epic midway-point bridge into the second half of the album. This is where I feel this album is at its best as we shift towards a much softer tone and hone in on the core themes of the album.

The band kicks this off with “The Glass” a stripped-back ballad with another strong vocal performance from Grohl. “Nothing at All” is an interesting funk rock track that delivers its own sound while still managing to fit cohesively on the album. “Show Me How” is one of my favorite songs as it reminds me a lot of the band’s older material. I enjoy the soft, dreamlike production choices and the guest vocals from Dave’s daughter are a nice change of pace. It gives the song a very special feel.

“Beyond Me” is another slow-paced reflective song. However, it is one of the more forgettable songs for me. It’s executed well but feels a little lacking in substance even with the guitar solo in the second half. Following this is the lengthy ten-minute long “The Teacher”, an incredibly ambitious piece that the band is able to stick the landing on.

The many phases and diverse performances on display manage to keep your interest throughout the lengthy runtime. It’s all tied nicely together under a refrain passage that encompasses the central idea of uncertainty surrounding the future as well as the passage of time. The closing section in particular is a standout for me as the song completely devolves into static representing the loss or end of a metaphorical life.

These concepts all come together within the absolutely fantastic closing track “Rest.” It’s a simple song but no less powerful and reminds me strongly of a Nirvana song. The track features some sludgy static distortion over all the performances. It’s atmospheric and really helps to hammer home some of the final musings of the band surrounding the loss of their friend. Overall, it is a great song and one of the best the band has put out.

I’m happy to say this is some of the Foo Fighters’ best work since the band’s original formation. There are some great songs here and even the ones that aren’t so memorable still have a strong level of polish and effort put into them. Check it out if you haven’t yet.

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But Here We Are

$23.99

7.5

Score

7.5/10

Pros

• Great second half
• Solid instrumentals throughout
• Rest is a fantastic song

Cons

• One or two bland songs