As we draw ever closer to the end of 2020 Foo Fighters have released their first single to be taken from their up coming tenth album due out on February 5th February next year. 'Shame Shame' is the band's latest release and is accompanied by an audio video with Grohl pictured in front of a burning fire.
The new album, 'Medicine At Midnight', is Foo Fighters first album proper since 2017's 'Concrete and Gold', although there have been plenty of single and EP releases from the band in the interim period. The new single, released 8th November, and taken from it, has something of a funky sensibility to it, especially in the chorus. There is a softer vocal too, one that is not normally associated with a large proportion of Foo Fighters material, and one which may divide fans. There's not a screaming and hollering Dave Grohl to be heard throughout the 4m17s of the entire song. Some may say it's refreshing, some may say, where's the real Grohl gone?
Foo Fighters, now in their 26th year, will have to let us see in due time whether the lead single from the new album is indicative and representative of the rest of the album. On this single there's definitely a restrained and measured approach to the whole arrangement rather than the all out, guns blazing barrage you may expect from Mr Grohl. Don't get me wrong there's still a significant guitar presence as well as a solid rhythm section but all-in-all this is a more understated Foo Fighters that we are hearing at the end of 2020.
When 'Shame Shame' eventually gets played I dare say it may take on something of an anthemic power ballad as it rings out around a packed stadium or two. Then there may be less restraint and more energy, but for now let's just enjoy an altogether calmer, collected Foo Fighters release.