The Colour and the Shape
Everlong is a very good reason to make an album. Fortunately, The Colour and the Shape has plenty of other reasons too. Foo Fighters' second record takes Dave Grohl's straightforward songwriting and gives it a wider range, with enough noise to keep the polished edges from feeling too comfortable.
The quiet opening of Doll is almost misleading. Monkey Wrench follows with a fast guitar attack, a chorus built for shouting and a vocal that sounds increasingly fed up. It is an excellent example of how this album works: the parts are fairly simple, but their arrangement makes them feel urgent. Grohl rarely needs a complicated idea when he can make a direct one land this well.
My Hero gives the drums more of the spotlight, building a big, steady platform underneath the vocal. Up in Arms moves quickly from a softer beginning into a much faster song, packing an impressive amount into a short running time. These changes stop the record becoming a row of similar choruses. The band can be tender or scrappy, and the shifts usually feel natural.
Then there is Everlong. Its moving guitar pattern creates tension before the vocal has even settled in, and the chorus releases it without flattening the song's nervous energy. The song feels intimate and enormous at the same time. Walking After You offers a quieter version of that intimacy, with the lighter arrangement exposing a much more fragile side of Grohl's voice.
There are a couple of less essential songs along the way. With this many strong hooks already in place, the more ordinary moments stand out more than they might on another record. Even so, the album keeps a useful balance between familiar rock shapes and emotional detail. It never needs to announce that it is being personal.
The Colour and the Shape is easy to get into and has enough variation to stay interesting beyond its best-known songs. A big chorus is useful. Knowing when to hold one back is just as important, and Foo Fighters get both sides right here.
