Their 2023 return after Taylor Hawkins’ death, But Here We Are, was a necessary part of the healing process, that often wallowed in its circumstances. But now with Ilan Rubin helming the kit, after a brief stint from studio-lifer Josh Freese, this latest iteration of Dave Grohl and co finds things untethered – eager to prove what life is left in the 30-year-old beast.
For starters, “Caught In The Echo”, as mentioned, comes bursting out of the gate, blending the expansive instincts of 2007’s Echos, Silence, Patience & Grace with a renewed sense of euphoria. There’s also a restless energy to Grohl and co that ties nicely back to 2011’s Wasting Light, the melodies are peppered in static and the confessions, my friend, doused in rage.
“Of All People” proves that this is no momentary burst of inspiration. A track rooted in Grohl's reckoning with the loss around him delivered with a vicious youthful bite: “You know you should be dead,” he snarls in the mirror. It oozes resentment, but rather than working through it, he’s banging his head into the glass.
“Window” is a proper hark back to their late-90s/early-00s era with grooving indie rock driving through nonsensical wordings that offer up a strange sense of epiphany. These are the flourishes that give this outing something more than any previous Foo Fighters effort – it’s actually having fun in a way they haven’t in decades. It plays with unwieldy hardcore fuzz (“Your Favorite Toy”) and the occasional driving rock cut (“Unconditional”, “If Only You Knew”) in equal measure without retreading old ground and instead taking a peek back at the past and remembering what they’re capable of.
Even the title, Your Favorite Toy, beckons something more playful. This idea careens throughout the likes of “Spit Shine”’s mania, which features Nate Mendel’s bass underlying the rollercoaster riff and some frenetic vocal work from Grohl. They’re unhinged, and (mostly) carefree.
“Child Actor” seems to be reckoning with Grohl’s status, as for all intents and purposes, he has been in front of audiences since his early teens. This feels like the first acknowledgement of the impact that it can have, particularly in the wake of the personal revelation from a couple of years ago.
Your Favorite Toy is a sharp, 10-track project that doesn’t feel wholly like anything Foos have done previously, while simultaneously taking so much from their past. Sure, the distorted growls of Grohl can grate after a while, but with that is the realisation that a rock band are still able to hit these high levels comparable to their early days. Part of this comes from Rubin, who brings his deft rhythmic touch with righteous tub thumping and thunderous rolls.
This is a snapshot of a band that has conquered mountains and achieved grand things while proving you can still find those edges at the peak that go a little higher.
“Asking For A Friend”, closing but also opening this latest chapter as the first single, still has a heavyweight sound, and leaves on the final line: “Or is this the end?” At this stage that feels unthinkable. Given the evidence, Foo Fighters remain rock's favourite toy for a reason.
