Rumors of the Foo Fighters demise have been greatly exaggerated. One By One is the most cohesive and musically amazing album the Foo Fighters have ever produced, an amazing feat considering the Foos should not even be a band anymore. One By One stands as such an amazing album not only because of its superb musicianship and intelligent writing, but also because of its representation of triumph over hardship to create art. One By One was recorded twice, the first session being totally discarded, and was written amid drug overdoses and very personal and brutal legal battles. One By One is a crank up the stereo and roll down your window album. Kicking off with All my Life, the albums fiery first single, the tempo never slows down. This is a make-it-or-break-it album for the Foo Fighters, and they deliver on every song. When lead singer Dave Grohl hits a grunge scream over the churning juggernaut of Taylor Hawkins drumming in Halo, it is impossible to resist a smile. After all, who better to carry the post-grunge mantle than Grohl? One By One, despite its heavier grunge songs, has a little something for every rock fan. Times Like These shamelessly grunges up U2 riffs and repackages them seamlessly into a rollicking jam. Overdrive is about as fun as rock can get, a bright shimmering jewel among the ruins of lost success. Lonely As You is classic Foo Fighters, evoking memories of past hits like My Hero and Walking After You. It is the more serious tracks on One By One that give it depth and maturity, setting it on a higher tier than any previous Foo Fighters album. Have It All is a bittersweet ode to being stepped on in a relationship, while Disenchanted Lullaby revolves around a psychedelic riff as Grohls voice sighs helplessly, Whats a boy to do? The real standout among all the tracks is the explosive, soaring, and emotional album closer, Come Back. Grohls voice has never been filled with such conviction, the writing never more eloquent, the playing never so surgically precise. The only song that even comes close is the Foo Fighters 1997 classic, Everlong. The song leaves the listener breathless, shell-shocked, and aching for more. Simply put, One by One is a rock triumph. It is an album showcasing how grunge can grow up and still make sense today. While the Foo Fighters are not as influential as Grohls early 90s band, a little Seattle outfit called Nirvana, One by One proves that they are as important as any band around today.
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