Foo Fighters by Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
By Foo Fighters
Released on Roswell / Capitol Records
Rating:
Highlights: Good Grief, Exhausted, Alone + Easy Target
Lowlights: Oh, George, Floaty
Reviewed on: December 6th, 2024
One of the band members, Wade, during the recording of Unwritten Law's third album.
The Background
So, this is the very first album I'm reviewing on this site. That doesn't mean it's the first punk album I ever listened to or anything, though. I got into punk music via bands like the Offspring, Allister and The Thermals (I was also introduced to lots of alternative and hard rock at the beginning, but that's not important). With that in mind, this album wasn't too far out of my comfort zone, but I feel like it represents the spiral I'd start taking into more "underground" music. Nobody talks about Unwritten Law in 2024. I had absolutely no clue who they were when I found this album, even with their hit Seein' Red.
I still found this album quite early though. This is one that, at least to me, solidified my idea of skate punk and pop punk, and affirmed my love for the genres in the time coming forward. Thanks, boys. Onto the review...
The Album
So Unwritten Law had a lot of time to perfect their skate punk formula, with a major-label release coming before this album, and boy did they do it. I know a couple songs off of their first two albums, and enjoy the melodic nature of C.P.K. and Superman, but the band really got their songwriting down with this album. Every song features a well-crafted hook, and the production works to create a nostalgic yet boisterous atmosphere that blends in perfectly with the intimate (though immature) lyricism on display.
The opener "Harmonic" sets up the tone perfectly, with a minute-long buildup of guitar lines and it eventually bursts into a thrilling and emotional tune. The lyrics here aren't exactly clear-cut or resonant with the audience (as with most of the songs on this album), but the intensity that vocalist Scott Russo sings them with creates a believable atmosphere. The drumming and guitars are quick and loud as well, and everything combines to craft a truly incredible first song.
I think what truly sets this album apart from its skate-punk peers, however, is its consistency. The moment "Teenage Suicide" hits, it's immediately noticeable that the band can crank out much more than one or two good songs. This track is filled with just as much intensity as "Harmonic" but the lyricism feels much more personal, and the song blasts through verse and chorus of dark, moving cries of adolescent fear. The chorus "No place to hide / and I'm running out of time / a teenage suicide" is absolutely haunting, with the buildup being perfectly paced. The drums do a lot of legwork on this album, as they just punch the tracks right and make every song incredibly fun to listen to. Shoutout to the drummer, Wade Youman. His work basically makes this album!
I'm not going to go through this album track by track, but just know the energy is barely let up. Nearly every song here is an incredible pop-punk rocker, with choruses and melodic hooks abound. The instrumentation is truly some of the best that would ever grace the genre, and the entire band pulls their weight well. Even on "Cailin" and "Before I Go", two slower songs that are adoringly sincere ("Cailin" is about Russo's daughter, and it's made me cry once or twice before), no enjoyment is lost. In fact, "Cailin" is easily one of the best songs off of this album, and the lyrics are filled with childlike wonder and true love, and every moment hits the soul just right. Even the weird dub noises help the aesthetic!
"Sorry" might be off-putting for some, as the lyrics are very obviously about asking a woman for sex, but I think the instrumental rocks incredibly hard and the song's fun enough for me only to be slightly weirded out about it. Funnily enough, these are some of Russo's smarter lyrics. And, knowing the era this album comes from, it's something that you have to look past a little bit.
Every song here is just peak skate punk. "Coffin Text" (the only song to directly fit the album cover's theme), "Lonesome" (which has an awesome music video), "Holiday" and "California Sky" all help to create a perfect album flow. Even the second half of the album, which I believe has a slight quality drop off after "Holiday", contains "Genocide", another instrumentally strong track. The backing vocals here, as well as on other tracks, create for a fulfilling chorus that is fun to sing along to.
If I had to choose low points, "Close Your Eyes" is good but a little bland for the album, and "418" is a huge departure in style comparatively. I don't mind it, but it doesn't fit this release, which makes it a relief that it's a hidden track and doesn't dock the rating too much. Very unique, though. It kind of reminds me of a much worse "Pay The Man" by The Offspring.
Overall, however, this is my personal favorite skate punk album of all time, and I'm giving it the supple rating of 1.8. Every track here, especially the first eight, are the gold standard of this genre, and the atmosphere created is unbelievably thrilling. This album got me into the band, and whilst I've checked out a couple other albums by Unwritten Law, this one stands alone as their best. I think this is essential for any fan of punk music. Give every track (besides "418" maybe) a listen!
