Album Review: "the Colour and the Shape" by Alternative Rock Band Foo Fighters
Album Cover for "The Colour and the Shape"
Foo Fighters' 2nd Studio Album Has Several Famous Songs Such as "My Hero" and "Everlong"
The Colour and the Shape is one of the alternative rock albums that I was introduced to when I was in my 20’s and it is memorable for that reason. This is the 2nd studio album by Washington State band Foo Fighters. For the purposes of this album, the band decided to spell color the English way by writing it as “colour.” Is this album better than the band’s debut? From a songwriting standpoint, you could make a clear case that it is better than the band’s debut. Songs like My Hero and Everlong add to the strength of this album.
"Everlong" has one of the most recognizable riffs in the alternative genre. The song is a love song about someone that is waiting for the one that he loves so that he can spend his life with her but he is wondering whether things will work out like they once did when they were together.
What Was the Inspiration for This Album Review of "The Colour and the Shape?"
The song that was in my head as of the first writing of this article (September 15, 2017) and inspired me to write a review of this album is the song called My Poor Brain. After a series of weird sounds, the song settles down and this is where things get exciting! As Dave Grohl says “this is a blackout, don’t let it go to waste,” his vocals get more angry and aggressive but this does not reduce the quality of the song. The album starts with the short but soft song called Doll.
Analysis of the Songs "Monkey Wrench" and "Up in Arms"
Author's note: there is much time that has passed since September 2017 but still Foo Fighters to me has been one of the best alternative rock bands in the world. “Doll” starts this album off before the heavy rocking song Monkey Wrench.
Then comes the fast punk rock style song called "Monkey Wrench."
The song is about a relationship that has really soured. One of the people is wondering what they can do when it seems that innocence has gone and all their enemies have become friends. At the end of day, one of the people does not want to be the monkey wrench, the scapegoat that is being blamed for all the problems that resulted in during the duration of the relationship. The song called Up in Arms is a love song. There are times where we cannot forget about the one we love. After a soft, pop feel, the song gets heavier and speeds up. “Up in Arms” is a song about a man that reunites with the one that he loves after having left her. He cannot forget about her.
"Everlong"
"My Hero" Is One of the Greatest Songs In the History of Foo Fighters
Next comes the song "My Hero" which was always one of my favorite songs from this album back in 1997 and it is still one of my favorite songs in 2023. The riffing is solid in this song and Dave does one of his best vocal jobs ever. The main repetitive riff in the song is also one of the most memorable moments. Having heroes and role models in our life is very important and sometimes we have to figure out who our heroes are. Dave says that he wrote this song to say that he did not have any rock heroes when he was growing up. A hero is a person who also saves someone who is in danger but that’s a literal definition of that word. This is one of the top 3 songs in the band’s history along with Wattershed and Everlong.
"My Hero"
"My Poor Brain"
Analysis of the Songs See You, February Stars, Walking After You and Final Thoughts About the 2nd Studio Album of Foo Fighters
The song "See You" can be used to mean that it is always good to see a good friend or the one that you love. "February Stars" is a song about hoping that you hang on even if it is by your fingertips without falling. Walking After You is another soft song that deals with breakups. If the other person decides to break up with us, sometimes we care about them so much that we will walk after them to kind of track them down in a sense. Overall, The Colour and the Shape is a solid, powerful, and enjoyable alternative rock album by Foo Fighters! Looking back at this second release from Foo Fighters, the band has a more aggressive, heavy approach while bringing to the surface real life issues that most of us can relate to.
This content reflects the personal opinions of the author. It is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and should not be substituted for impartial fact or advice in legal, political, or personal matters.
© 2017 Ara Vahanian
