Album Title: The Colour and the Shape
Artist: Foo Fighters
Year: 1997
Running Time: 46m 52m

Track listing: 1 Doll; 2 Monkey Wrench; 3 Hey Johnny Park!; 4 My Poor Brain; 5 Wind Up; 6 Up In Arms; 7 My Hero; 8 See You; 9 Enough Space; 10 February Stars; 11 Everlong; 12 Walking After You; 13 New Way Home

You have a band, right? The band are one of the most popular things on the planet. You are making tons and tons of cash. Their is unrest in the band because your drummer would like to contribute more and sing a couple of songs. You disagree with him and you are close to splitting up. Then you commit suicide.

That is the story of Nirvana and in particular, ex-drummer Dave Grohl. Grohl sat in the shadows for years as the Nirvana tub thumper so when the band dissolved after the tragic death of Kurt Cobain, Grohl spent a year or so getting his new band together, Foo Fighters. He was apparently on the verge of quitting the grunge legends anyway and a lot of people would have questioned the wisdom in that decision. However, the evidence is now for everyone to listen to. Grohl is one of todays best songwriters.

The Foo Fighters first album (the brilliant “Foo Fighters”) was completely written and almost completely performed by Grohl showcasing what a talent he is. Their second album, “The Colour and the Shape”, is another testament to Grohl’s quality songwriting. There is a very obvious formula here but it is a magical formula which oozes energy, anger and, at times, passion. There is a definite progression on the second album with Grohl utilizing a softer sound a lot more frequently.

‘Everlong’, ‘Hey Johnny Park!’, ‘Wind Up’, ‘My Poor Brain’, ‘Enough Space’ and ‘My Hero’ are all top notch rockers, very much in the vein of the debut disc. The maturer transition though is very evident; ‘February Stars’ is a beautiful ballad, ‘Walking After You’ is in a similar vein only even smoother in sound and ‘See You’ relies on an acoustic rhythm with an undeniable hook.

‘New Way Home’ and ‘Monkey Wrench’ don’t quite make the penthouse but there is enough here to warrant a purchase without a doubt. The only question is, does Grohl have the ability to do it all again? The rock world will be a better place if he does.