‘Medicine At Midnight’ Is The Album 2021 Needs Right Now

Posted On February 5, 2021

Samantha Colleran, February 2020

If you know me, you know I love the Foo Fighters with my whole entire heart. When they announced their tenth studio album Medicine At Midnight, I was more than excited. I did a deep dive into the Foos archive for the band’s 25th anniversary, and I can’t believe I finally have the opportunity to review their newest album. After hearing the lead singles I knew I’d love this album. So without further ado here are my first impressions of Medicine At Midnight!

1. “Making A Fire”

This one has a classic Foos feel. There’s a really cool, unexpected chorus in the beginning which I’m obsessed with. It’s a powerful opening track, and of course Dave kills the vocals. I’m dancing in my chair right now as I type this out. “I’ve waited a lifetime to live/ It’s my time to ignite”, this is such a powerful anthem. Incredibly motivational lyrics, it’s something uplifting and positive, and definitely needed during times like these (pun totally intended). Such a strong note to open the album with, I could listen to this song for hours on loop. The clapping part is so catchy, I know it’ll be stuck in my head for days. I know for a fact this will be in my top three. 

2. “Shame Shame”*

This was the first single off the album, so it’s obviously not my first time listening! Seeing how it fits in with the rest of the tracks is interesting, it’s a bit of a funkier sound for the Foos and is a nice way to move from “Making A Fire”. The string section is still one of my favorite things about this song that I don’t think a lot of people talked about, but definitely should listen out for. I will admit that I like this song, but it didn’t strike me as a standout the first time I listened to it. It does feel a little repetitive, but that doesn’t necessarily make it bad. It was definitely a safer single choice, but it’s still a really good song. 

3. “Cloudspotter”

Okay, I vibe hard with the drums in this song, especially the beginning. Can I just say that the female background vocals are incredible? They blend incredibly well with Dave’s vocals and it’s a great new addition to the Foos sound. I love the lyric “Everything’s wrong when you’ve got no right,” I can’t explain why but it stood out upon my first listen. The drums are truly the driving force of this track, which just further proves Taylor Hawkins is an underrated drummer (I’ll die on this hill, he deserves so much more recognition). A typical Foos sounding chorus, this song feels like it would be perfect for blasting with the windows down while driving.

4. “Waiting On A War”*

Inspired by his days living in Washington DC, this song feels rather fitting for the climate of the U.S. at this particular moment right now. It evokes a sort of emotion in you as Dave begs the question “Is there more to this than that?” At any second it feels like a switch could flip and the world could completely fall apart. The song does grow hopeful, as Dave sings that there has to be more to life than just waiting for bad things to happen. The instruments build up from an acoustic number into that fast paced, guitar driven sound. There is more to life than waiting on a war, and it’s the hope that artists bring to our ears every single day with their music and their art and their talent. They are the “more to life” than all the harsh negativity we see on our screens or read about every single day. Music makes us hopeful, and I think that’s such a strong message to send to listeners. End of rant, the next song has already been going for a few seconds!

5. “Medicine At Midnight”

Title track, yay! Okay, a disco feel. It’s very “Let’s Dance” inspired. It’s groovy and I really like it. There’s not a doubt in my mind Bowie had some sort of inspiration when putting this track together. Those vocals during the first chorus are totally Bowie, and I love the lean into a more disco sound. “I may be sick but you know I’m yours”, I love this lyric so much. Of course Dave brings the gritty vocals and adds some unexpected, but appreciated, note changes. Guitar solo! Go Chris gooooo! I love the bridge, the vocals are soft enough to let the guitar continue to shine, and I truly can’t get enough of it. 

6. “No Son Of Mine”*

Another single release prior to the album release, which I actually talked about as my first Sunday Sounds of the year! It fits the album flow perfectly. This song was the perfect way to begin the new year, and it still sounds just as fresh as it did a month ago. It’s message of calling out leaders who commit the very crimes they claim to be against is just so perfectly timed. It’s not overly political but it’s enough to tell you that Dave Grohl won’t be taking any of your nonsense. This is personally my favorite single, and I almost wish it was the lead single, it definitely would have gained more attention and hype for the album. 

7. “Holding Poison”

I already love the sound of this one. The pre-chorus keeps you on the edge of your seat anticipating the chorus, it’s such a fantastic buildup. I kind of want to cry listening to it? The little “whoop whoop” (I don’t know if that’s the right word but we’re going with it) of the guitar is so cool. “I want what I want, I get what I get/ You know what I mean, you know what I said” is a standout lyric. This chorus during the instrumental breakdown feels very Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon-ish and I love it so much. THESE LAYERED VOCALS? This song is making it harder to choose a top three. 

8. “Chasing Birds”

I love the title of this one, and I figured it would be the slow song of the album, and I was definitely right. “Chasing birds to get by/ I’m never coming down”. I may actually cry during this song. “The road to hell is paved with broken parts/ Bleeding hearts like mine”, this song may have some of my favorite lyrics. The backing “aaaaah” is so gorgeous. I don’t really know what the lyrics mean at this moment in time for me, but I just know I won’t be able to stop thinking of them. I’m a sucker for acoustic songs, and this is the perfect way to round out the album. The lyrics, the simplicity, everything about this song is absolutely beautiful.

9. “Love Dies Young”

“Love dies young and there’s no resuscitation”. Ouch, harsh way to start the song. Alright, I forgive the harshness because of that killer introduction of the full band. There’s definitely an acoustic guitar somewhere among those instruments. This song is a solid way to end the album, it almost feels like a song that would play at the end of a movie as the credits rolled up the screen. I think the Foos have such a knack for instrumental buildups, it’s something I’m glad they’ve kept in their work throughout the years because they keep on getting better. I think there’s violins or some sort of strings now? Aaaand the song is over, the album is over, I crave more, it doesn’t feel like it’s actually done. I loved every second of that.

Sam’s Song Selection

1. “Making A Fire”: Stellar opening track. The right amount of energy to set the tone for the entire album. I don’t think any other track would have had the same impact as this one.

2. “No Son Of Mine”: It’s fast paced and hard hitting. It’s a strong statement and the instrumentation is some of the best on the album.

3. “Chasing Birds”: Can’t fully explain why this song stood out to me, but it did! It’s emotional and tugs at your heartstrings, it’s beautiful. 

My final thoughts? Personally speaking it was not the best Foos album to date (Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace still owns that title in my heart), but it’s obvious that the band knows how to make music as times change while still keeping some sort of element of their signature sound and style. There’s a lot of songs on here I know will rock hundreds of stadiums around the world, and I can’t wait to be there screaming every lyric. 

If you’ve already listened to the album, let me know your thoughts in the comments! Do you have a favorite song? A least favorite song? A song you didn’t like upon your first listen but like now? I’d love to hear what you thought of Medicine At Midnight, and major congratulations to the Foos for releasing their tenth album!