The past couple of years have been clouded in uncertainty for the Foo Fighters. 2023’s ‘But Here We Are’ saw them pull themselves through grief to deliver a record that was a return to form. In the years since, the band went on a break as frontman Dave Grohl fathered a child outside of his marriage. While Josh Freese was let go from the band, apparently with no explanation. Since making their live return late last year, Ilan Rubin (Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, Angels & Airwaves and more) has joined the Foo Fighters fray, and more importantly, finished off what would become their twelfth record; ‘Your Favorite Toy’.
It sees the Foos step away from working with producer Greg Kurstin for the first time in over a decade. Instead, they opted to work with Studio 606 recording engineer Oliver Roman to co-produce. Together, they produce one of their most riotous records in years. From the outset of ‘Caught In The Echo,’ Grohl’s distorted “Do I? Do I? Do I? Do I?” opening line leans into a rawer sound, without ever sacrificing their stadium-rock nous. It makes for a fiery opening that continues on the scrappy ‘Of All People’. Likewise, the title track’s pumping momentum is joined by Grohl’s teasing “Nyah nyah nyah nyah” with big guitars, finding the right balance between grungy and bombastic rock.
In contrast, some cuts comfortably fit the expected Foo Fighters mould. ‘Window’ is carried with a vintage Grohl earnestness and Nate Mendel’s familiar groove, allowing the track to drift with ease. Songs such as ‘Unconditional’ are far from standouts, but are acceptable and are far from the worst “filler” tracks they’ve served up during their extensive history. ‘Child Actor’ pulls this off notion better, partly due to its simple driving hook of “turn the cameras off”. Whereas ‘Spit Shine’ wouldn’t sound out of place on their 1995 self-titled album. Thriving with a garage rock rawness, Rubin’s punching percussion sounds right at home among his new bandmates.
Lyrically, ‘Your Favorite Toy’ touches on themes of identity, disillusionment, and survival. While the unresolved grief of ‘But Here We Are’ considerably bleeds into ‘Of All People’. The album is bookended by a feeling of uncertainty. While ‘Caught In The Echo’ sees Grohl in repetitive thoughts, ‘Asking For A Friend’ is equally vulnerable as he looks for a purpose, albeit with a hint of guilt. The penultimate track, ‘Amen, caveman,’ is delivered with confrontational grit as it deals with societal manipulation and generational disillusionment.
Understandably, some will consider ‘Your Favorite Toy’ a by-the-numbers Foo Fighters record. However, much like ‘But Here We Are,’ it contains a handful of satisfying cuts that offer plenty of longevity. As a follow-up, it maintains the notion of a band sounding rejuvenated, utilising reliable melodies and guitar tones, adding a louder, aggressive element to proceedings.
‘Your Favorite Toy’ by Foo Fighters is released on April 24th on Roswell Records/Columbia Records.
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