There Is Nothing Left to Lose
Foo Fighters
Aurora is a useful place to understand There Is Nothing Left to Lose. The guitars shimmer, the rhythm moves easily and Dave Grohl sounds comfortable letting the melody carry him. Foo Fighters still have plenty of noise available on their third album, but they have also become much better at relaxing.
That may not be obvious from the opening. Stacked Actors has a thick guitar sound and a sharp edge, switching between a looser verse and a much more aggressive chorus. Breakout follows with a bright, impatient energy that suits Grohl's voice very well. Together they give the album a firm start before the sound begins to open out.
Learn to Fly is the clearest example of that change. It is straightforward pop-rock, with a chorus that arrives naturally and doesn't need extra decoration. The song has enough drive to sit comfortably beside the heavier material, but the emphasis is firmly on the melody. There is nothing particularly mysterious about its appeal. Sometimes a well-built song is explanation enough.
The quieter second half is where the album develops its own personality. Aurora lets its repeating guitar parts settle into a warm, unhurried atmosphere. Ain't It the Life has an equally easy feel, and Grohl's softer singing gives the music a different kind of confidence. The band don't sound as though they are waiting for permission to turn the distortion back on.
Taylor Hawkins and Nate Mendel are important to that effect. The drums and bass keep the songs grounded while leaving the guitar room to add smaller details. The result feels like a trio working with the space available to them. Even the more polished melodies have a live, human movement underneath.
There Is Nothing Left to Lose is a particularly good Foo Fighters album for listeners who enjoy the voice and the hooks as much as the shouting. It takes a little time to reveal how gentle much of it is, then makes that gentleness one of its main strengths. The heavy opening gets your attention. The warmer songs are what give the record its lasting character.
