Overrated: Foo Fighters || Underrated: Danish Butter Cookies

mrussel1 · December 2014

Danish Butter Cookies - unbelievably delicious and one of my favorite parts of Christmas. After doing some puffing, they have a strong tractor beam pull similar to the Falcon being drawn by the Death Star. I can't stop gravitating to them or eating them. There is nothing negative to say about them.

Foo Fighters - I like the Foos. A lot. I think it's great that their popularity is peaking and a younger crowd is getting into a band that is part of my 90's generation. I think that is friggin' awesome. I've seen them several times, from the 930 Club in DC to Festivals, and in between. They never fail to play their greatest hits every time (that is a little bit of a dig). And Dave Grohl is pretty kick ass as a person.

However...... I think they have only produced one GREAT album and that is Wasting Light. Now I'm still getting into Sonic a little bit and I like it but I don't love it. Wasting Light hit me like a hammer and I still think it's great. But the other albums are a little hit and miss. Some great, accessible, poppy rock songs, and then some duds.
So I give a ton of credit to the Foos for still making good music and being together after all this time. And I'm really glad that there are some big 'Rock' bands popular today. Foos, Black Keys, Mumford, Jack White... awesome. I'm just saying as good and cool as they are, I think they are a bit overrated.

Agree/Disagree?

Suziemay · December 2014

:-w Jeez, I actually thought Danish Butter Cookies was a band and was coming to read about what's so awesome about them! How about posting about a band you love, rather than knocking on a band that others love, even if it's just "a little bit"?

RobbyD462 · December 2014

I like thier first two albums the best

Didn't much care for wasting light,
was more like wasting time to me! Lol

mrussel1 · December 2014

I think I was pretty complimentary of FF in general. I'm just saying they are overrated right now. However Danish Butter Cookies would be a good band name.

2-feign-reluctance · December 2014

How did Colour and Shape not hit you? That record is a fucking sledgehammer.

Suziemay · December 2014

mrussel1 said:
I think I was pretty complimentary of FF in general. I'm just saying they are overrated right now. However Danish Butter Cookies would be a good band name.

Overrated is pretty uncomplimentary to me, and that's the whole point of your post. You are entitled to your opinion, though, so I'm going to step out of your thread, I just don't understand what the point of talking about the overratedness of a band is so of course I had to open my big mouth. Carry on.

mrussel1 · December 2014

Suziemay said:

mrussel1 said:
I think I was pretty complimentary of FF in general. I'm just saying they are overrated right now. However Danish Butter Cookies would be a good band name.
Overrated is pretty uncomplimentary to me, and that's the whole point of your post. You are entitled to your opinion, though, so I'm going to step out of your thread, I just don't understand what the point of talking about the overratedness of a band is so of course I had to open my big mouth. Carry on.

Overrated doesn't equal bad. But they have the 'biggest band in the world' thing going on right now and I don't think they are quite in that elite league. Now granted, the playing field pretty slim right now so maybe that has something to do with it. I like the Foos. A lot. I said this earlier. But they always have, and continue to be a little poppy for my taste, but that's sort of the reason I liked Wasting Light so much. I thought it was much harder core.
But I've always been critical of their short set lists and the fact that they play a very consistent set list. Quite different than PJ.
Anyway, I kind of thought this might be incendiary as a post but I also thought there could be good discussion. Wasn't looking for a love fest. If y'all have a minute, check out this old Robot Chicken episode about the Foo Fighters. Classic Seth. But the FF song they play at the beginning perfectly captures the thing that has always got me on the Foos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqrG6JXsPPw

mrussel1 · December 2014

2-feign-reluctance said:
How did Colour and Shape not hit you? That record is a fucking sledgehammer.

I like the Colour, but the lyrics just don't get to me like my favorite band.

kasedoug · December 2014

mrussel1 said:

But I've always been critical of their short set lists and the fact that they play a very consistent set list. Quite different than PJ.

Not sure if you've seen them lately, but they're playing 3 hour shows regularly (and played 2.5 - 3 hours on the Wasting Light tour too), sometimes straight through without leaving the stage for an encore break like when I saw them 3 weeks ago at the Roxy in LA.
Another cool thing they've done throughout the years even as they've gotten big is still playing small clubs, like they're doing now in each city for the weekly Sonic Highways episodes. A few months before they released Wasting Light, they played 5 club shows around LA over the course of a couple weeks, playing the album front to back to lead off the show and then playing an additional ~20 songs after that. Those shows were announced day of on twitter, $20 first come, first served at the venue. They've played all sorts of special "secret" or pop-up small capacity shows throughout the years, even doing a series of shows in fans' garages throughout the country for Wasting Light.
Wish more big bands shook things up and did things like that once in a while. I think it sets the Foos apart in some cases by delivering something really special.

JK_Livin · December 2014

And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate
Baby I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake
Shake it off. Shake it off

jervin007 · December 2014

I kind of agree about Sonic Highways. Its a good, but not great album. That being said I really like the band and hope to catch them on this tour. Had to sell my GA tickets to Boston a few years back and I guess they played for 3+ hours.

mrussel1 · December 2014

I've seen them three times in the last two years
Music Midtown in Sept '12 (night before PJ)
930 Club in May
The National in Sept

I enjoyed all the shows. And I'm going to see them this year tour in Camden and probably Fenway. I'm skipping the DC show as nothing sounds more miserable than a full GA show in July 4th DC heat. I do love that they are playing clubs.

The setlists are mixing a bit, but I haven't seen a 2.5 or 3 hour show yet, or anything that close.

Do you guys think that their albums are as complete, deep, thoughtful, poetic as PJ? For me, there's a huge gap between the two bands.

facepollution · December 2014

Foo Fighters, not the deepest band ever, but they are in it for all the right reasons, and they've got a few brilliant albums under their belt - The Colour And The Shape and Wasting Light are probably their best. I also think There's Nothing Left To Lose often gets over looked. Live, they are one of the most consistent bands I've seen - I've never seen a dud show in the fifteen or so years I'vee been to see them.

To me, they are the very best at what they do - to me it is pop rock, and nobody else is bringing it on the scale that they are.

marjen · December 2014

They are solid. The first record, and wasted life I like the best. I still like most of the others, sonic highways has some good moments and i loved the companion show. I think they are a good group of guys, Dave Grohl seems like a genuine nice guy who really enjoys what he does for a living. And they rock live. Got my tickets for Fenway.

nickburrows14 · December 2014

The Color and the Shape is their best album for me. After that they've produced good albums with 2 or 3 great songs on each.

goldrush · December 2014

I don't really understand this post. You "like the Foos. A lot." but think they've only released one great album? If all of their other records " are a little hit and miss" then it sounds like you're more of a casual fan that likes their hits.

Also, I don't see how you can think it's great that they are popular, and awesome that a younger crowd is getting into them, and still think they are overrated. Surely that's a contradiction? It's like you're happy that they're popular, but you don't want them to be too popular.

The term 'overrated' is always going to be slightly incendiary as people will always have different personal opinions. I'm not trying to start anything here, I'm just trying to understand the post.

rr165892 · December 2014

mrussel1 said:
I've seen them three times in the last two years
Music Midtown in Sept '12 (night before PJ)
930 Club in May
The National in Sept

I enjoyed all the shows. And I'm going to see them this year tour in Camden and probably Fenway. I'm skipping the DC show as nothing sounds more miserable than a full GA show in July 4th DC heat. I do love that they are playing clubs.

The setlists are mixing a bit, but I haven't seen a 2.5 or 3 hour show yet, or anything that close.

Do you guys think that their albums are as complete, deep, thoughtful, poetic as PJ? For me, there's a huge gap between the two bands.

I made it up to the National in Richmond.That show was 21/2 hr plus.It also was fucking great and the first U.S. small venue this cycle.

rr165892 · December 2014

2-feign-reluctance said:
How did Colour and Shape not hit you? That record is a fucking sledgehammer.

This!!!!!!

mrussel1 · December 2014

rr165892 said:

mrussel1 said:
I've seen them three times in the last two years
Music Midtown in Sept '12 (night before PJ)
930 Club in May
The National in Sept

I enjoyed all the shows. And I'm going to see them this year tour in Camden and probably Fenway. I'm skipping the DC show as nothing sounds more miserable than a full GA show in July 4th DC heat. I do love that they are playing clubs.

The setlists are mixing a bit, but I haven't seen a 2.5 or 3 hour show yet, or anything that close.

Do you guys think that their albums are as complete, deep, thoughtful, poetic as PJ? For me, there's a huge gap between the two bands.
I made it up to the National in Richmond.That show was 21/2 hr plus.It also was fucking great and the first U.S. small venue this cycle.

I had it shorter than 2:30, but if it was 2:30 I stand corrected. For better or worse, I tend to drink far too many Star Hill Grateful Ales while at the Natty Nat. I'm sure the 930 show was shorter though. And that's a smaller venue than the National by about 300 people. Maybe that's not part of the cycle you referenced. IN fairness, that was a 'surprise show' that everyone knew was happening.
They rocked and it was fun but by my count they played 15-16 of the same songs at the Nat that they played at the 930. Same with Music Midtown and I'm guessing that will continue. That's my key criticism. Active bands like PJ, DMB and Bruce are far better of going deep and changing up their sets. FF seems to change the order, but essentially plays the same songs. And it's not about supporting an album. It's 'greatest hits', kind of like seeing TP and the HB for the last 15 years (except for this last tour). They just played greatest hits over and over.

Feel free to crucify...

rr165892 · December 2014

mrussel1 said:

rr165892 said:

mrussel1 said:
I've seen them three times in the last two years
Music Midtown in Sept '12 (night before PJ)
930 Club in May
The National in Sept

I enjoyed all the shows. And I'm going to see them this year tour in Camden and probably Fenway. I'm skipping the DC show as nothing sounds more miserable than a full GA show in July 4th DC heat. I do love that they are playing clubs.

The setlists are mixing a bit, but I haven't seen a 2.5 or 3 hour show yet, or anything that close.

Do you guys think that their albums are as complete, deep, thoughtful, poetic as PJ? For me, there's a huge gap between the two bands.
I made it up to the National in Richmond.That show was 21/2 hr plus.It also was fucking great and the first U.S. small venue this cycle.
I had it shorter than 2:30, but if it was 2:30 I stand corrected. For better or worse, I tend to drink far too many Star Hill Grateful Ales while at the Natty Nat. I'm sure the 930 show was shorter though. And that's a smaller venue than the National by about 300 people. Maybe that's not part of the cycle you referenced. IN fairness, that was a 'surprise show' that everyone knew was happening.
They rocked and it was fun but by my count they played 15-16 of the same songs at the Nat that they played at the 930. Same with Music Midtown and I'm guessing that will continue. That's my key criticism. Active bands like PJ, DMB and Bruce are far better of going deep and changing up their sets. FF seems to change the order, but essentially plays the same songs. And it's not about supporting an album. It's 'greatest hits', kind of like seeing TP and the HB for the last 15 years (except for this last tour). They just played greatest hits over and over.

Feel free to crucify...

I don't disagree with the setlist rotation.They are my favorite band so I'm a lil biased.But I would also like to hear some deeper/older cuts mixed in.Ya know like take fucking Cold day in the sun out and add in some treasures.Mix in Stacked Actors,Wheels,Next Year,Doa Some of those basement tape Demos from the Seattle SH episode.That kind of thing.
We was standing right next to the steps to main lower level bar area on the railing ,right next to where the handicapped folks were seated.5 ft from the bar on the ladies bathroom side(Great Location and view line to stage)To left of soundboard looking at the stage.And I also was knee deep in adult beverages,so maybe my time is off a bit.But I thought I commented to my wife about the time of the show when we left.Not that it matters.

mrussel1 · December 2014

I usually end up on the right side of the stage there, near where you can slip out to the smoking/puffing section under the roof. There is also a window to order beers outside too, which is awesome.
Not to go totally off topic, but I LOVE the National. I live in Richmond and am fortunate that they tend to draw great acts (better than they should). It's a class place, with a cool staff (not dicks) , great beer and the sound is usually good. Outside of the Foos, in the last few years I've seen Weezer, Pumpkins, QOTSA, Jayne's Addiction, Alabama Shakes and other awesome acts there. Sounds like you are south of Richmond, but you should definitely get on their mail list if you aren't.

Overrated: Foo Fighters || Underrated: Danish Butter Cookies

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