Medicine at Midnight by Foo Fighters: A celebration of one of the biggest rock bands in the world

Photo: The Album Cover (courtesy of Record Store Day)

Foo Fighters are rock's survivor's remorse band, forged out of the ashes of Nirvana and the tragic death of Kurt Cobain. They have gone from a one-man side project by Dave Grohl to one of the biggest rock bands in the world. From their underrated Self-Titled Debut to 'Concrete and Gold,' they have been the soundtrack of a generation. 25 years later it was symbolic that the song we sang when things were darkest in 2020 was the anthemic 'Times Like These,' a gritty rock ballad, typical of the band's output. 

Until now. 

Medicine at Midnight, the band's 10th Studio album, is different. Grohl describes it as a 'disco' album in the mode of Bowie's 'Let's Dance'. Immediately this may ring alarm bells to fans expecting an album of the usual pop-infused hard rock. But you needn't worry. 

Despite its best intentions Medicine at Midnight is definitely still a rock album, albeit one with some gorgeous moments where it breaks the mould, be it the tight, sharp pizzicato strings that back the lead single 'Shame, Shame' or the Freddy Mercury-style vocal echo and complex rhythms of  'Holding Poison,' this album sizzles with invention even when it fails to realize its full potential.

But there are definite moments where it fails. One track in particular, 'No Son of Mine,' feels surprisingly out of place with its more metal-infused sound, like it was written for an entirely different album. Still, it makes you wonder if they could have broken away more with the album's production to embrace the more dance-rock aesthetic of bands like LCD Soundsystem rather than stick with their roots.

Even so, there is still some fun to be had. From the soaring chorus of 'Waiting on War' to the gospel harmonies of 'Making a Fire' the entire album is like a sonic victory lap for a band that deserves it and in the end Medicine at Midnight is a celebration. It's a progressive and reflective album that delivers some strong listening and a fitting tribute to Foo Fighters' 25th anniversary even when it doesn't quite hit the heights of the album it aspires to be. 

To buy the album click here